Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is someone “whose life has been an exemplary demonstration of true leadership in practice,” the authorities of Redeemer’s International Leadership Academy, RILA, have said.
Osinbajo was also described as a Nigerian who not only teach and advocate the virtues of leadership, but someone who lives it.
LIRA said these at the weekend in a programme, where it presented Vice President Osinbajo with its “Living Legend Award,” while also honouring a few other pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at the event.
The programmed had in attendance RCCG pastors under which the institute operates, while VP Osinbajo made a virtual appearance at the event.
Presenting Prof Osinbajo for the award, Pastor J. A Bolarinwa, speaking on behalf of the institute at an event held in Lagos noted that before Pastor Osinbajo was taken away by a “national assignment,” he had served in RILA, describing him as “a leader indeed, he did not only teach leadership, he lived it.”
He praised the the Vice President’s humility and his support for the institute, where he said Prof Osinbajo was among its pioneer students 25 years ago.
The institute noted that it was impressed by the service, support and contribution of Osinbajo to RILA.
Receiving the shared honour of RILA’s “Living Legend Awards” alongside Osinbajo was Pastor Kayode Pitan, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, while Pastor J.A Bolarinwa , PhD, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade and Pastor Tokunbo Adesanya where also honored with the “Lifetime Legend Awards.”
The Founding Registrar of the institute and the immediate past Registrar, Pastor Alfred Olufeyimi, and Pastor Ben Ewuzie were also honoured post-humously as “RILA Legends.”
In his remarks, Prof Osinbajo who gave the acceptance speech on behalf of all the honorees said: “I am deeply honoured to have been asked to speak on behalf of the extraordinary and transformational leaders who are being honored today. I am not being modest when I say I am clearly the least in terms of those who contributed to the story that became RILA.”
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The Vice President added that “RILA Legends Posthumous Awards recipient, late Pastor Alfred Olufeyimi, laid the foundations of the institute almost singlehandedly,” adding that the Pastor’s contributions were “unforgettable, he led with compassion, understanding and a focus on heaven.”
The VP also praised “Pastor Kayode Pitan whose task it was to faithfully build in the great shadow of his mentor and friend and Pastor Ben Ewuzie, my friend and brother who with Pastor Kayode, Pastor Mike Oshiokameh were my classmates in the Bible school.”
Recalling the contributions of the first RILA Registrar, the VP said “in his lifetime he became Mr. RILA, literally gave everything he had for RILA. He left NAL Merchant Bank to earn N10k as the first full time administrator of RILA. Pastor Ben developed RILA to the foremost Bible and leadership training institute in Africa and developed courses and programmes always in the cutting edge, always forward thinking, and started the many Centre’s of RILA locally and internationally.”
Regarding Pastor Bolarinwa who was also honored, Prof Osinbajo described him as a “God sent to RILA,” crediting him with the successful incorporation of the institute under the structure of the RCCG. He added that Pastor Bolarinwa “has in these past years added great value to RILA as Vice Chair of its board of governors and chair of its academic board.”
The Vice President also commended Pastor Idowu Iluyomade and Pastor Pastor Toks Adesanya for their leadership and worthy contributions to RILA.
The event was part of the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Bible School.
