NCBN holds first diversity in leadership celebration awards

Awards recipients include Professional Excellence Award presented to  Mr. Samuel Oghale Oboh, Hon. Consul for Botswana and former president of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada(RAIC); Lifetime Achievement Award to Canadian Senator Anne C. Cools, Canada’s longest serving female senator in North America, and Business Person of the Year Award Mr. Isaac Olowolafe Jr., a Nigerian-Canadian in his 30s and proud President and CEO of Dreammaker Realtor Inc.  Also Humanitarian Award was presented to Hon. Rita Odachi Orji, Chairman of the Nigeria House Committee on Diaspora Affairs.

Senator Anne C. Clare Cools is a Canadian Senator representing Toronto-Centre-York. She was summoned to the Senate in January 1984 by His Excellency Governor General Edward Schreyer on the recommendation of the Rt. Hon. Pierre Trudeau.She is the first African-Canadian person appointed to the Senate of Canada and the first black female senator in North America. Born August 12, 1943 in Barbados, British West Indies, at age 13, she moved to Montreal with her family. Anne was a pioneer in curbing domestic and family violence, she founded one of Canada’s first women’s shelters, the Women in Transition Inc., where she served as its Executive Director. Anne helped in the establishment of several other women’s shelter in Ontario and all over Canada.  As she prepares for retirement from active politics, her life’s memoir undoubtedly will remain a veritable source of inspiration, succor, hope and encouragement to millions around the world.

Mr. Samuel Óghale Oboh is a Canadian architect, manager, leader and the 2015 President of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Oboh is the first African-Canadian to be elected as President of the Alberta Chapter of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in 2007. In 2015, Alberta Venture named him as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in Alberta. Mr. Samuel Oghale Oboh, an African- Canadian, arriving Canada ten year ago was confronted with a number of uncertainties. He, however,  surmounted all seemingly challenges and hurdles and thereafter making significant in-roads to becoming the president of a-110-year-old prestigious organization –  the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). As design architect, Oboh worked on many projects while he was with FMA Architects Southern Africa,

IBI Group and Kasian Architecture. He is a registered architect licensed in the state of Texas, United States, in the province of Alberta, Canada, and previously in South Africa. He contributed to projects such as the International Law Enforcement Academy in Botswana, for the Government of the United States of America, the Alberta Legislature Centre Redevelopment Master Plan where he worked on Alberta’s most significant heritage site. Similarly, within a short time as Government of Canada – PWGSC Western Region’s most senior architect, Oboh led the establishment of a new Architecture and Engineering Centre of Expertise. While delivering his speech, Mr. Oboh, who mesmerized participants in idioms and proverbs, painted a mental picture of  how his birth in the riverine community with  pre-ocupation in fishery helped shaped and influenced the person he has become.

Mr. Olowolafe Jr. is a registered real estate broker,  business owner and philanthropist. Under Dream Maker Inc. created over the last decade, the vertical integration  operation includes Brokerage, Wealth Management, Property Management, Education,

Development, Private Equity and Insurance. DreamMaker Development one of the vertical companies built the 1st major mixed-use development site (Condos/Townhouses/Retail), located across from Yorkdale Mall, called Dream Residences @

Yorkdale. Mr. Olowolafe Jr.  has 10+ other Developments on the go in key locations around the Toronto Area.

One of  the key notes, Ms. Paula Caldwell St -Onge  Director General from Global Affairs Canada and former Canadian High Commissioner to Haiti,  during her speech, reassured of  Canada’s continued commitment in strengthening Bilateral  cooperation  with Africa’s largest Economy and specifically,  in  the areas of Trade, Security,  and Development. Canada and Nigeria diplomatic relations have come a long way  paving way for numerous enterprises to  thrive as well as cooperation in the  areas of Research and Development / Innovation, Science and Technology. She informed Canada received over ten thousand Nigerian students in one year with each  pursuing higher education program in various Canadian universities. Ms. Paula Caldwell is currently the Director General, Pan-Africa Bureau and Trade Champion for Africa.

Mr. Mac O. Okwechime, who was the lead of the four representatives from the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa, in his speech, gave a lucid insight into the difference between Dependence and Interdependence, asserting  the latter was much more dignified and commendable.

8. Other speakers who featured at the business brunch are  Ms. Sonia Coutou,  currently, she is the Trade Commissioner for Central and Western Africa at Global Affairs Canada; Rupak Chattopadhyay, President and CEO- Forum of Federations.   Rupak is also an Alumni of the University of Lagos. Other dignitaries include the High Commissioner from South Africa, Her Excellency, Ms. Dlamini Mntambo and Barbados High Commissioner, Her Excellency Yvanne Walkes, Mr Percy Abol, member of the NCBN advisory council to name a few.

The Nigerian and Canadian Business Network, NCBN, a vintage organization of Nigerian- Canadian professionals with a mandate to facilitate seamless networking among Nigerian – Canadian professionals and businesses. The volunteer-based Non-for – profit Networking organization  memberships are domiciled in various cities, provinces and territories across Canada. The group had since inception metamorphosed into both rallying and reference point for most businesses and professional activities having a touch of Nigerians – Canadians.  NCBN has been variously acknowledged and recognized as a paramount organization by lead economic development agencies of the both countries, as well as Government Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals.  On March 7th, 2017, the group, working in conjunction with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa,  hosted to a luncheon the official delegation which visited Toronto, Canada,  on the occasion of the  International Convention, Trade Show & Investors Exchange – North America’s largest mining event managed by the Prospectors Developer Association of Canada, PDAC.

Present at the occasion also was the NCBN National Chairman, Mr. Wale AdeSanya Dr. Ola Kassim, an elderstatesman and former NIDO Worldwide Chairman, an accomplished pathologist in Canada, etc. Dr. Ola Kassim is the father of  Lola Kassim, Uber’s West Africa General Manager. Compere of the day was Dr. Moruntayo Adetola, who is a Family Physician and Clinical Assistant professor of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa.   Dr. Adetola is the  current President of the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD). The event was concluded with photo sessions with award recipients,  guest speakers and dignitaries. This was followed by high level networking session.