Mariam Abeeb
Toastline Magazine has honoured late High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd.) and others, describing them as strong advocates and defenders of democracy.
The Publisher, Akinyele Babarinsa, in a statement in Abuja, said the prominent Nigerians were honoured for their distinguished services to the nation.
Babarinsa said the honour was conferred on them at its 2025 annual lecture with the theme “Life is Full of Dynamics”.
According to him, the lecture spotlights the inevitability of change as a defining force of human existence.
Babarinsa quoted Mrs Ngozi Odili, Principal Partner and Director of BAUN Robotics Ltd., to have described life as a continuum of constant motion, adaptation and interconnected forces shaping individuals, institutions, and societies.
BAUN Robotics is an IT firm that empowers new generation of Nigerian youth through practical applications and problem solving programmes that strengthen coding and programming, robotics, automation and emerging technologies.
Odili, who was a guest lecturer, said nothing in life remain static, stressing that progress, survival and fulfilment depend on the ability to embrace change rather than resist it.
“Life is driven by dynamics, internal urges and external realities that compel growth, innovation and transformation.
“Change is not a threat; it is the pathway to relevance and meaning,” Odili said.
She illustrated the theme with contemporary examples of how innovation had displaced older systems, noting that technologies such as smartphones, internet platforms and digital payments rendered once-dominant tools obsolete.
“WhatsApp displaced BBM, YouTube overtook DVDs, and POS systems are gradually replacing ATM queues. No condition is permanent,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to remain humble, adaptable and forward-looking.
She said BAUN Robotics had been promoting artificial intelligence education in Nigeria, describing the company as a game changer in preparing Nigerians for the future.
Odili noted that although it appeared paradoxical for a retired army general to receive such an honour, events had justified the recognition, as Musa had consistently demonstrated commitment to democratic values.
She also referenced the late Dokpesi, as a symbol of life’s dynamics, recalling how he revolutionised private broadcasting in Nigeria with RayPower FM and African Independent Television (AIT).
She said Dokpesi’s vision continued through his son, Raymond Dokpesi Jnr., underscoring the belief that “dreams never die; only dreamers do.”
The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Digital Economy, Hannat Musawa, was also honoured with an Uncommon Service Award for continuing her late father’s legacy of public service.
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