Service to Nation: CSOs To Honour Former Defence Chief Gen. Musa, Wushishi, Others

Two leading civil society and leadership advocacy groups, the National Council for Civil Society Organisations (NACCSO) and the Vision-One Leadership Development Initiative (VOLDI), have announced their readiness to honour General Christopher Gwabin Musa, OFR (rtd), the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, with the prestigious “Nation Builder Award in Integrity and National Service.”

The award will be presented at the 3rd Edition of Nigeria’s Nation Builders Annual Award 2025, scheduled to hold on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, beginning at 12 noon.

Announcing the event in Abuja, the National President of NACCSO, Rt. Comrade Emmanuel Johnny, said the honour is in recognition of General Musa’s exemplary leadership, patriotism, and dedication to national unity and peace. He described the retired military chief as a man of integrity whose contributions to the stability and progress of Nigeria remain remarkable.
According to him, the recognition is a way of acknowledging individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and inspired others toward nation-building.

“We feel fulfilled as civil society organisations, glad and proud to honour a military general whose leadership qualities are worthy of emulation,” Johnny said. “His diligent service and passion for a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria will forever be appreciated by Nigerians who love peace and national development.”

Johnny disclosed that, apart from General Musa, several distinguished Nigerians who have made significant contributions in their respective fields will also be honoured at the ceremony.
Among them are Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examinations Council (NECO), and Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), who will both receive the Nation Builder Award in Educational Development. Others include His Excellency Silas Agara, Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), who will be honoured with the Nation Builder Award in Entrepreneurial Development and Job Creation, and Hajiya Aisha Ahmed Audi, National President of the Coalition of Disabled Women Associations (CDOWA), who will receive the Nation Builder Award in Women Empowerment and Humanitarian Service.

Also listed among the awardees are Dr. Sa’id Alkali Kori, Group Chief Executive Officer of Thinklab Group, who will be honoured for Innovative Business Development and Humanitarian Service; Dr. (Mrs.) Gloria Olotu, Director of Finance and Accounts; Mrs. Lois Ihwo Andrew, Chief Executive Officer of Dee Utensils; and Mr. David Raymond Edet, an emerging young leader who has shown promise in leadership and community development.

Comrade Johnny explained that the Nation Builders Annual Award is designed to celebrate excellence, patriotism, and innovation among Nigerians whose dedication and contributions have strengthened the nation’s development. He noted that the initiative is not just about giving awards but about promoting values of integrity, hard work, and service to humanity. “These honorees have demonstrated a passion for building a better nation through their various endeavours.
This recognition is both a celebration and a call to inspire others to serve with similar zeal,” he said.

The 2025 edition of the event will feature keynote speeches, cultural performances, and award presentations, with dignitaries expected from government, civil society, the private sector, and the diplomatic community. The organisers emphasised that the Nation Builders Annual Award serves as a platform to honour those whose actions and leadership continue to promote peace, economic development, and social harmony across Nigeria.

“This celebration is not just about honouring individuals,” Johnny concluded, “but about inspiring a new generation of Nigerians to build, serve, and lead with integrity.”