Nigeria's authoritative news magazine, the Newswatch, has named the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Year 2015 (Public Sector Category). The award, which will be formally presented to Prof. Ambali along with seven other winners at a grand ceremony at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja on Sunday February 7, 2016, is in recognition of his "tremendous achievements as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin."

Other winners of the Newswatch Persons of the Year Award are the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, who has been named the "Overall Person of the Year"; the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, "Overall CEO of the Year"; the CEO of Channels Television, Mr. John Momoh, "CEO of the Year (Private Sector)"; the Director-General of the National Teachers' Institute, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu, "Director-General of the Year"; the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, "Best New Governor"; and the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shettima, "Best Returned Governor".

In the letter of award dated January 4, 2016 and sent to the Vice-Chancellor, the Managing Director of the Newswatch magazine said, "I have the honour to inform you that our Editorial Board, Newswatch readers and our Newswatch Person of the Year 2015 Panel have adjudged you the winner of the NEWSWATCH PERSON OF THE YEAR award in the CEO OF THE YEAR (PUBLIC SECTOR) CATEGORY."

The award letter, a copy of which was made available to Unilorin Bulletin, further told Prof. Ambali, "This is on account of your tremendous achievements as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin. We note your innovative leadership and best practices within the University as attested to by international rankings of the University of Ilorin as among the best in Nigeria in the past few years.

"Locally, the University has become the leaders in research. Strike actions are anathema at Unilorin. It is the most sought after University in Nigeria by UTME candidates. Staff are happy, students are joyful. We congratulate sir, as these are no mean achievements", the magazine management said.

According to Newswatch, the nation's oldest news magazine founded in 1985, the Person of the Year Award was instituted yearly "to encourage leaders that are doing well", adding that "the Awards were to recognise and reward persons and institutions in the public and private sectors who made positive impact on corporate and societal governance last year".

The magazine's management explained further that record of performance of each of the winners was the yardstick for the awards. It added that media awards, besides encouraging others to emulate the winners, were effective measures to prevent further degeneration of values in the society.

Last year, 15 persons won the awards. The magazine's Editorial Board, however, disclosed that "only six distinguished leaders will be decorated for 2015 because we couldn't find those who meet the criteria for winning in the other categories."