HallowMace Africa Celebrates 10 Years of Legislative Advocacy, Honours Outstanding Lawmakers at Maiden National Legislative Awards
By Raphael Ekpang
Abuja (Core Reporters) HallowMace Africa Foundation on Thursday, July 9, commemorated a decade of promoting legislative excellence and democratic accountability with the maiden edition of the National Legislative Awards held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.
Delivering his welcome address, the Executive Director/CEO of Hallowmace Foundation, Anderson Osiebe, described the event as a historic milestone that celebrates visionary leadership, excellence and democratic accountability while marking 10 years of unwavering commitment to legislative advocacy.
Speaking on the theme, “A Decade of Advocacy: Celebrating Parliamentary Excellence,” Osiebe said the occasion reflects HallowMace Africa’s sustained efforts to strengthen democratic governance through legislative advocacy, policy engagement and the promotion of accountability.
He noted that what began a decade ago as a vision has evolved into one of Africa’s foremost platforms dedicated to advancing democratic governance, legislative development and parliamentary excellence.
According to him, HallowMace Africa has, over the past 10 years, remained steadfast in its mission of strengthening democratic institutions by organising annual legislative conferences, driving policy advocacy and maintaining consistent engagement with parliamentary institutions across the continent.
He said the anniversary offered an opportunity to celebrate not only the organisation’s journey but also the collective progress made in promoting legislative excellence and democratic governance.
Osiebe explained that the National Legislative Awards recognise lawmakers whose outstanding performance in lawmaking, effective representation, oversight and transparent public service has distinguished them among their peers.
He noted further that the finalists, selected from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, represent the highest standards of legislative diligence and commitment to serving the Nigerian people.
“The recognition bestowed on the awardees is not an end in itself but a call to greater service. It reflects the confidence reposed in their leadership and challenged them to continue raising the standards of parliamentary excellence,” he said.
In his speech the President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio who was represented at the event by Senator Tony Nwoye expressed his deep appreciation for the recognition bestowed on him by the management of HallowMace Africa saying, “I also wish to express our sincere appreciation to the organisers for this recognition and for putting together such an important event.
“Every award is significant because it reminds us that our efforts have not gone unnoticed. We receive this honour with gratitude, but even more importantly, with humility, because public office is not about personal glory. The true measure of leadership is not the number of speeches delivered or titles held, but the number of lives positively impacted through service.
“The only meaningful legacy of leadership is one that translates into stronger communities, stronger institutions, and a better nation for all.”
The President of the Senate considerd this recognition not as a personal achievement, but as an honour for the Nigerian people. “Since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, we have remained committed to strengthening democratic institutions, supporting economic reforms, improving national security, expanding educational opportunities, promoting accountability, and advancing the ideals of constitutional democracy.
“While much still remains to be done, we acknowledge that considerable progress has been made. Nigerians rightly expect even greater results from us, and we remain committed to meeting those expectations. “Despite the challenges confronting our nation, efforts are continually being made to address them and improve the lives of our citizens.
“This award, therefore, belongs not only to the President of the Senate but to every Senator and every member of the National Assembly who continues to work tirelessly to build a stronger, more stable, and more prosperous Nigeria.”
“It also reflects our collective commitment to ensuring that democracy continues to grow through constructive engagement, dialogue, accountability, and long-term national development.
“As we celebrate a decade of sustained advocacy for legislative excellence and democratic governance, let us remember that democracy thrives not only because elected officials perform their responsibilities, but also because organisations such as yours continue to promote excellence, encourage accountability, and recognise outstanding public service,” Akpabio said.
Core Reporters report that the Editor in Chief of Emporium Reporters, Lukman Lalaye Babalola was also recognised as the Hallowmace legislative award for the best narional assembly online journalist of the yeat.
