*Honoured with Meritorious Award By Daily Independent Newspaper
On February 20th, 2023, Chief Dr Austin Izagbo, was given a meritorious award by the Daily Independent Newspaper for returning the sum of Seventy Five Million (N75 MillionNaira) overpaid to him by a Federal Government Agency, NIMASA for a contract executed. This added colours to both the recipient and the Daily Independent Newspaper.
What baffled the eyes of many Nigerians was that in this present Nigeria where our politicians, leaders and captains of organizations are looked upon as criminals, someone from these facets of life can still be honest to return such huge amount of money to a government establishment. Another aspect of it that baffled Nigerians was that the said man hailed from Ibusa, a town believed to be producing criminals and whose indigenes that have been given public portfolios are serving jail terms in Nigerian prisons.
Nigerians are saying that this award should not only end with the Daily Independent Newspaper, but President Muhammadu Buhari, the President Elect, Bola Tinubu, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, should meritoriously recognise him the way Daily Independent Newspaper has done and even do more as this will give credence to both the Federal and States governments. Even it will encourage more Nigerians to emulate Chief Dr Austin Izagbo’s legacy’s. Why it is important for the Federal Government to do so, is the agency concern is a Federal Government establishment, why the Lagos State Government should be involved is because the establishment is situated in Lagos State and Chief Dr Austin Izagbo resides in Lagos. The Delta State should also participate because Chief Dr Austin Izagbo, is from Delta State. The President Elect, Bola Tinubu, should compulsorily be involved because if someone like Chief Dr Austin Izagbo, is given an appointment or appointed into his cabinet it will give credit and promote his government before Nigerians and International Bodies.
Chief Austin Izagbo, is a politician, a member of APC and Cordinator of the Campaign’s Council in Delta State. He joined APC from the PDP. His popularity cuts across political parties in Nigeria. He was actively involved both in manpower and financially in the election and re-electoin of both present and past governors of Delta State. Himself and a former boss of National Supply Company, late Major Aminu Dahiru, formed the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), a political party that once existed in Nigeria. At the age of 38, he contested the National Chairmanship position of the party, against Chief Tom Ikimi, which he won but because of his youthful age, the position was given to Tom Ikimi, while he was compensated with the Chairmanship position of NRC in Delta State in 1991, when the State was created. In 1999, he became the Deputy Governorship Candidate to Moses Kraga of the then All People’s Party (APP) in Delta State. During Late General Sani Abacha’s Regime, he was the Delta State Commissioner for Youths, Sports, Social Development and Culture from 1995 to 1997. He was later appointed by the Federal Government into the board of the Nigeria Hockey Federation and was elected the President from 1998 to 2002, and was elevated to the position of a Council Member of the Hockey Federation in Africa. He was also a Member of Olympic Committee during the period. Apart from above, he was the founder Onu-Anioma, a Social Cultural Political Group that fought for the emergence of a Delta North Governor, which Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is a beneficiary and enjoying today.
He was one of the founders of ACD and ACN in Delta state, which later joined with other parties to become a mega party that metamorphosed into what is known today as Action Congress (AC). He was the Delta State Cordinator for former President Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Support Group. He holds PhD and Master’s degree from European American University and a B.Sc degree from the University of Ife, where he founded Skala Club, which became one of the biggest Clubs in Nigerian Universities. Before joining politics he worked as a Public Relations Manager in Nigeria National Supply Company. He also worked as Assistant General Manager of Punch newspaper and later General Manager of Skylak Records, that recorded top Nigerian musicians like late Christy Essien Igbokwe, late Fela Anikulakpo Kuti, Shina Peter, Roots Foundation, Beta Maya, I. K. Dairo, Dele Ojo etc. He is a successful businessman. He is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of CANIZ, Blue Ear Security Consult, Crown Media. He is the Vice President of Nigerian- Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club International, Chairman Seed Joy Foundation(a non governmental organization that caters for the welfare of orphans, less privilege and widows), a fellow of Nigeria Institute of Management and fellow of the Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies, Nigeria. A man with these impeccable qualities is supposed be an asset to any serious government in power both at State and Federal levels that want progress the country
