Senator Joel Onowakpo Honoured at the 7th Nigeria Silent Heroes Awards
In a night filled with honour, elegance and heartfelt recognition, Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas stood tall among celebrated Nigerians as he was honoured at the 7th edition of the Nigeria Silent Heroes Awards held on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the prestigious Wells Carlton Hotel, Asokoro, Abuja. The event, organised to spotlight Nigerians who have made meaningful contributions to the nation quietly and without fanfare, brought together a distinguished gathering of men and women whose work speaks louder than words.
Senator Onowakpo, known for his purposeful leadership and commitment to public service, was recognised as one of this year’s outstanding awardees, an honour befitting a man whose actions have continually reflected integrity, vision and service to humanity. The event started with a glamorous red carpet reception as high-profile guests arrived, including traditional leaders, top security officials, government representatives, media executives and private sector stakeholders.
One of the most respected guests present was the Royal Father of the Day, the Ejeh of Olamaboro and Chairman of the Olamaboro Traditional Council, Chief Simeon Ujah, who graced the event in person and gave his royal blessings to support the celebration of true leadership and quiet service. Other dignitaries present or represented at the event including the Guest of Honour, Major General Raymond Nkemakonam Ochei, General CG Musa, who was represented at the event by the Chief of Defence Civil-Miltary Affairs, Rear Admiral OA Bankole, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was represented by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Ogunjobi, and the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Ajao Adewale. Also present were Commander Jerry Omodara, retired, who serves as Security Adviser to the Governor of Kogi State, and a representative of Mr. Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of United Bank for Africa.
In her welcome speech, the Project Coordinator, Mrs. Ozioma Sonia Odita-Sunday, explained that the aim of the awards is to recognise individuals whose quiet efforts to make the world a better place often go unnoticed. She said the awardees are people who live with integrity, compassion, innovation and a strong sense of responsibility. She also revealed that plans are already in place to expand the initiative to other parts of Africa, starting with the upcoming launch of the Africa Heroes Awards.
The awards segment featured the presentation of plaques to recipients, along with cultural performances and the official unveiling of Volume III of Nigeria’s Silent Heroes, a publication that shares the inspiring stories of both past and current awardees. Several respected individuals were honoured during the night for their honest and impactful service to society.
Some of the other recipients of the awards included Chief Uche Jeffrey Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, ACC Attah John Onoja, Commandant of the NSCDC Mining Marshal, Mr. Tony Elumelu, CFR, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, Hajiya Zubaidah Umar, Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director General of the National Identity Management Commission, and philanthropist Nicholas Sam-Sedi. Others were Kehinde Adewole, Publisher of Swift Reporters, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment in the FCT, Engr. Simeon Udeh, Managing Director of SOTEC, Vivian Ifeanyichukwu Nkechika and Hajiya Aisha Abubakar Muhammad, who are programme managers at Delta Broadcasting Service and NTA Abuja respectively.
Speaking on behalf of all the awardees during the vote of thanks, ACC Attah John Onoja expressed sincere appreciation to the organisers for recognising people who quietly dedicate their lives to building a better Nigeria. He noted that many of the awardees had never met the organisers before, which made the recognition more genuine and deeply touching. He described the honour as a motivation to keep doing good without waiting for public applause.
The event ended on a warm and memorable note as special gifts were presented to dignitaries by Mrs. Odita-Sunday. This was followed by a captivating poetic performance by Olayemi Esan, which touched many hearts and reminded everyone present that greatness is not always loud. It can be found in simple, consistent acts of service, honesty and care for others.
For Senator Joel Onowakpo and all the awardees, the night was not just about receiving an award, it was a reminder that doing good quietly still matters, and that true leadership lies in serving others with humility and purpose.
