‘You’re A Destiny Helper’ — NANS Hails WHISTLER Publisher James Ume On Winning Gani Fawehinmi Award
The new leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) headed by Comrade Emonefe Lucky has congratulated Chief James Ume, the Chairman and Publisher of THE WHISTLER newspaper and Founder of the Unubiko Foundation, following the conferment of the Gani Fawehinmi Award for Outstanding Impact on him.
On December 10, Ume won the award for his philanthropic works.
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The organisers, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), acknowledged Ume’s provision of scholarships, payment of students’ WAEC fees, rebuilding of a customary court and the N250 million intervention for the rebuilding of the Ovukwu-Abam Secondary School in his home state of Abia.
Ume was nominated alongside Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Femi Gbadebo (rtd) OFR, among others, and emerged as top three in the first round of the assessment, with the decision determined by public voting.
The organizers appreciated Ume for his outstanding impact, stating that he “personifies empathy and determination.”
Reacting to the development, the NANS leadership in a statement said the conferment symbolises a golden opportunity to celebrate “a rare gem, a compassionate fellow, a career builder, an achiever, a philanthropist, a destiny helper and above all, a passionate lover of Nigerian students and education development.”
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The association noted that the publisher
is being pursued with honour from all
angles because of his giant strides in people’s lives.
“His nomination and subsequent winning of 2023 Gani Fawehinmi Impact and
Integrity Award GFIIA is not a surprise to NANS, as he represents one of the most reliable education support Pillar in Nigeria, his award by Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN), Ketu Parish, Lagos, with ‘God’s Mission Ambassadors Award’ during its silver jubilee, held recently in Lagos further attest his uncommon philanthropist gesture,” NANS added.
In 2022, Ume was awarded the Independent Newspaper’s Philanthropist of the Year Award and the Sun Newspapers Humanitarian Service Icon Award.
Ume had said he believes “we are serving humanity, we are serving God, so, we don’t need any self-seeking attention. When you give to people, you are giving back to God.”
