Night out with the Minister!

On Tuesday evening, the organisers and winners of “The Future…” Awards spent an absolutely amazing two and half hours with the present Minister of Education, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, who this month will be leaving for the World Bank as Vice President for Africa.

It was two hours of incredible fun: so much laughter, so much knowledge, so much passion, and an interactive session where we were allowed to ask any questions - and oh we did! But she didn’t budge. It was amazing! It was so, so, so, so, so much fun. We broke so much protocol … in fact, we effectively forgot we were in a federal Minister’s office!

Those in attendance: Adebola Williams, Emilia Asim-Ita (directors of RedSTRAT), Modupe Adefeso (Professional of the Year), Doyin Haastrup (Model of the Year) who came in straight from the Calabar Fashion Festival, Lanre Lawal (Best Use of Technology), Shina Oyetayo (Journalist of the Year), Ini Mbang (Team of the Year), Omote Dimoko (Magazine of the Year), Denrele Edun (Producer of the Year), and Omono Imobhio (Actor of the Year) who just finished with the Vagina Monologues. The others couldn’t make it, sadly, cos of work, pregnancy and LASTMA!!!!!

The fun continued at the not-the-Hilton-but-close-enough hotel where we were lodged that evening as all these achieving young Nigerians let themselves go and just had fun bonding with each other all over again. I also discovered that when you mix an extensive menu with room service and a blank food-cheque that I am not the only one who turns out a glutton!!!

I am writing an article about it that will be published in the papers next week, which will have all the details, and then I will post here. This much I will tell you now though: Oby Ezekwesili rocks!