The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II has honoured late flying officer, Tolulope Arotile, the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force.
Arotile was honoured with a posthumous award at the Royal African Young Leadership Forum (RAYLF) Awards, held at the Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Arotile died on the 14th July, 2020 as a result of head injuries sustained in a road accident at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna State.
Other prominent individuals also got various awards at the event, they include the Executive Director of the Nigeria Export Import Bank, Hon. Stella Okotete, popular Nollywood actress Bukunmi Oluwasina, Speaker of the Nigeria Youths Parliament, Mubarak Mujinyawa and a prominent child rights advocate, Adepeju Jayeoba.
Ooni Ogunwusi described Nigerian youths as the country’s greatest asset, urging them to be focused to achieve their desired goals.
According to him, “Beyond the plaque and certificate of commendation, I want you all to sustain the good works upon which you are being awarded today. What’s next after good work is more work and I want you to keep moving on for the sake of this country and the younger ones looking up to you.
Prominent among attendees at the event was the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, who lauded the awardees for their respective productive engagements, assuring them that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is ready to help them through its several developmental policies and programmes.
