As part of its strategic steps to inspire youths to embrace social responsibility spirit, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, has announced the kick-off of the 10th edition of its Indomie Independence Day Award (IIDA)
The award is geared towards the recognition of children who have against all odds exhibited extraordinary acts of bravery in the face of danger/societal challenges.
Deepak Singhal, Group managing director, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, said: “This year’s edition of the award will mark the 10th year of the noble initiative which has affected lives of many Nigerian Children.
Singhal, who was represented by the Head of Marketing, Indomie, Manpreet Singh, disclosed that as a way of commemorating the 10th year edition of the award, 10 winners will be rewarded with millions of naira worth of scholarship as against the usual three winners in previous editions. “This means that, 10 winners will be awarded from the three categories of the award – Physical bravery, Social bravery and Intellectual bravery.”
According to him, “So far, a total of 27 children have received the award and have had their names engraved in gold in our hall of fame as heroes of Nigeria and we are about to start the process of discovering the next set of 10 heroic children for the Indomie Independence Day Award for Heroes of Nigeria which holds in October this year.”
He added that “The initiative is in line with the core values and deep rooted belief of our company and the brand, that every child indeed possesses an innate ability to achieve greatness. This, we want to develop and encourage as a brand.”
Tope Ashiwaju, Group Public Relations and Events Manager, pointed out that the 2017 edition which marks the 10th edition of the laudable initiative is going to be grand as the company is set to award educational scholarship worth the sum of over 10million naira to the heroes that will emerge during this year’s award ceremony.
Speaking on the Award Categories, Ashiwaju explained that the Physical Bravery category will acknowledge kids who at great personal risk, saved lives or by their actions prevent extensive damage to property or others. He added that the Social Bravery category will celebrate kids who work against social evils such as child marriage, illiteracy and environmental concerns etc. in a sustained manner while the Intellectual Bravery category will recognize children with innate ability and have performed remarkably despite physical, mental, emotional or financial limitations.
Shedding more light on the selection process, Ashiwaju explained that the search and nomination process is largely researched based with the aim to source for heroic stories, hence the need to commission an independent research agency working on the field in select locations across the six geopolitical zones followed by the screening of the stories based on criteria which will lead to the verification of the selected stories with simulation to aid Judges selection for the finalists. He however stated that at no point does the company have any form of influence on the selection process which makes it a completely independent process.
Applauding the initiative, Barrister Daomi, father of one of the 2016 winners, Babatimeleyin Daomi expressed appreciation to Dufil Prima Foods Plc for awarding his son and said that the cash scholarship has been judiciously used for the son’s educational advancement. He further urged the Nigerian Government to encourage Dufil on this initiative to make it more distinct in the interest of the Nigerian child.
KELECHI EWUZIE
