Merited recognition: Prof Victor Mbarika awarded for contribution to nation growth.

The award ceremony, held Friday January 24, saw in attendance several prominent personalities from home and abroad.

Prof Victor Mbarika was represented at the award ceremony by the Vice Chancellor of ICT University, Prof Jean Emmanuel Pondi.

The organisers said Prof Victor Mbarika won the award in recognition of his “Immense contribution to the growth and development of Cameroon. Unarguably, your outstanding records of achievements and impact in our fatherland are indeed remarkable and visible”. 

Speaking on behalf of the awardee, Prof Emmanuel Pondi described the distinction as a feat which comes to encourage Prof Mbarika to do more for humanity.

The endowed academic and former Director of the International Relations Institute of Cameroon, IRIC, said: “This recognition goes straight to our hearts. The ICT University has delegated us here to represent Prof Victor Mbarika, who has received several awards before, including the highest award in the United States- Joe Biden's Presidential Recognition Award. This prize is special because it comes from his home country. And it is in the field of education, which is the future for young people in the field of ICT. When you are in this paradigm, you are working for today and above all for tomorrow. That is what the ICT University is doing”.

The Cameroon Heroes Impact Awards celebrate Cameroonians for their outstanding service to the nation. 

The Secretary General at the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, was presented the Cameroon Outstanding Heroes Award, in recognition of his role in nation building.

The awards recognise the efforts of Cameroonians with exceptional leadership skills, who have made a significant contribution to the country's growth, peace and security.

The 4th edition of the award night was marked by a new inclusive approach- bringing together public and private institutions, international organisations and NGOs.

Some thirty awards were presented to winners in different categories, reflecting their commitment to excellence and innovation in various sectors. 

According to the Chairman of the GAICAM Board of Directors, Joseph Gana, “the innovation this year is that we are now working with public and private institutions, international organisations and non-governmental organisations”.

Gana said the selection criteria were rigorous, with opinions gathered from the Cameroonian population to guide the choice of this year's winners. 

He said the celebration of excellence and public leadership reflects the importance of recognising and valuing the efforts of individuals who make outstanding contributions to the development and growth of the nation.

Cameroon Heroes Award in a nutshell

The Cameroon Heroes Award is one of GAICAM International's Impact Award programmes. It is a special initiative that recognizes excellence and visible impact, awarded to Cameroonians and Cameroon-based institutions that have created a real impact in their communities and in Cameroon in general.

It is organised annually by GAICAM International, in collaboration with its partners and government.

The award aims at identifying, honouring and promoting outstanding individuals, organisations, associations, public institutions and corporate structures that have created a real impact in society and contributed significantly to the socio-economic development of their communities and the nation as a whole.

The award is a fully inclusive programme and has no social, political or religious affiliation. The GAICAM International Impact Award programme is a viable mechanism for partnership and the promotion of national and global goals. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3353 of Wednesday January 29, 2025