By Our Reporter
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) — It was a night of glamour, reflection, and honour on Thursday, October 2, as eminent sons and daughters of Cross River State were celebrated at the maiden Destiny Cross River Awards 2025.
The event, convened by Archbishop Josef Bassey, and held at Shettima Hall, State Library Complex, Calabar, drew together leaders from government, business, the church, and the diplomatic community.
Governor Bassey Otu, who was decorated with the Destiny Grand Commander Award, the highest honour of the evening, described the celebration of patriots during their lifetime as a cultural shift that would inspire future generations.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Emmanuel Ironbar, Otu said: “Too often, we wait until our heroes are gone before acknowledging their immense contributions. What you have done today is worthy of emulation, because celebrating living patriots strengthens the culture of sacrifice and inspires many more to follow their example.”
The Governor noted that the inclusivity of the awards, which honoured recipients from all three senatorial districts of the state and also recognised women, was proof of unity. “The future of Cross River does not lie in politics of division but in a renewed covenant of collective responsibility,” he added.
On governance, Otu assured of his administration’s resolve to rebuild broken institutions and restore public trust. “We have deliberately strengthened our ties with security agencies, the judiciary, and paramilitary institutions to restore confidence and attract investments into our state. This award will spur us to do more,” he pledged.
Presenting the award to the Governor, Archbishop Josef Bassey, Convener of the Destiny Cross River Awards, hailed Otu as a rare kind of leader who had quietly taken on the burdens of the state.
“Where others saw ruins, he saw opportunity. Where others sought monuments to themselves, he chose renewal for the state. He has quietly gone about repairing the broken walls, refusing to expose the mess of the past but instead courageously rebuilding for the future. That is why tonight, we bestow on him this award as an eternal witness to his legendary patriotism and prophetic submission of Cross River to God.”
The Archbishop likened the Governor’s style to that of a “turnaround manager”, saying: “You inherited ruins, but you are transforming them into progress. That is the noblest form of leadership.”
He also stressed that the awards were more than mere recognition. “The Destiny Awards are not just another ceremony; they are a prophetic covenant to immortalise sacrifice and inspire a new generation of nation-builders. When leaders do wrong, we must say so. But when they do right, we must also acknowledge it,” Bassey declared.
One of the most emotional moments of the night came from Prof. Kelvin Etta, former Vice Chancellor of UNICAL and CRUTECH, who received the Destiny Patriarchal Defender Emeritus Award. He used his acceptance speech to plead for forgiveness from Cross Riverians:
“If there’s anyone I must have hurt or offended in the course of my public service and in my determination to leave behind beautiful footprints in the sands of time, please forgive me. It was never intentional but born out of passion to serve and succeed,” he said, drawing a long applause from the audience.
Another honouree, Chief Kanu Godwin Agabi (SAN, CON), who could not stay to personally receive his award due to urgent commitments, was represented by Hon. Achadu Ogiji Idagu Martins, member representing Yala II State Constituency in the Cross River House of Assembly. Receiving the award on his behalf, Hon. Idagu described the recognition as “a tonic that will spur Chief Agabi to continue doing more for Cross River and Nigeria.”
The event also made history as Senator Florence Ita-Giwa became the first female recipient of the awards, bagging the Destiny Matriarchal Defender Award for her decades of outstanding political leadership and community service.
Former Finance Minister, Etubom Anthony Ani (CON), was equally honoured for his legendary contributions to governance and economic reforms, with Archbishop Bassey describing him as “one of the pillars upon which Cross River’s destiny rests.”
In his keynote, Archbishop Bassey reminded the gathering that the awards were not just about recognition but a covenant to immortalise sacrifice and inspire future generations: “Destiny is not fulfilled by chance; it is secured by sacrifice. Titles will fade, wealth will perish, but those who lay down their lives for their people will be remembered forever. Cross River is not just a state; it is a covenant project, destined to bless the nations.”
The Destiny Cross River Awards 2025 thus brought together leaders across government, business, academia, civil society, and the church in what many described as “a prophetic roll call of destiny-shapers.”
