The pioneer Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd, Mr. Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai has bagged the African Satellite CEO/Personality of the year 2010, at the just concluded 2010 African Telecom Hall of Fame, which held in Lagos.
According to the organizers, Rufai was the natural choice of the judges at the African Telecom Hall of Fame lecture and awards, in addition to NIGCOMSAT Ltd emerging the African Satellite Company of the year award.
The event attended by the Minister of State for information and Communication, Mr. Labaran Maku, chairman, OpenMedia Group, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, his counterparts at 21st Century Technology, Mr. Wale Ajisebutu, and Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem of Teledom international among others, Rufai was a natural candidate in this category due to his contribution to satellite development in the country.
The organizers, IT & Telecom Digest said in the citation that “be not afraid of greatness, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ‘em.” And explained that “our winner tonight is not afraid of greatness; he may not have been born great, he did not have greatness thrust upon him. Rather, he has achieved greatness by sheer courage, bold moves and sharpened eyes on a career target.”
They also noted that when he joined the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), as the head of engineering arm in 2000, Mr. Ahmed-Rufai was quick to establish one fact; that this country needed to be taken from a satellite no-man’s land to a country in the league of satellite business, both for the benefits of it and for the pride of it.
“It was therefore not a surprise that in 2006, when the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd was established, he became the natural CEO of the company,” part of the citation read.
Further, the organisers noted that NIGCOMSAT in May 2007, made history when it launched Africa’s first communications satellite, stressing though it was shut down to prevent it spinning out of control and damaging others in orbit, it was a history feat when it was launched.
Additionally, they pointed out that today, the company that launched the satellite is in the forefront of satellite and exploration business in the world, preparing Nigeria for even greater glory-for the African continent.
For this and many other feats that NIGCOMSAT is gearing itself to, the organizers said, it merited to be crowned the African Satellite Operator of the year.
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