THE JOURNEY SO FAR
In the last 18 years, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation has projected hard work and excellence. We have promoted the best of Nigeria through our yearly AWARDS to men and women who have made giant strides and great contributions to the Nation; through their exemplary lifestyles and great leadership skills. The Foundation has also published several books and aired television document
aries, on these great Nigerians to showcase them as role models to the youth and as notice boards to announce to the people that, indeed, there is dignity in labour. By doing so, the Foundation continues to give the Nigerian Youth a choice and encourage them towards the path of honesty, patriotism and dignity in labour through character emulation. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Thus, established in 1996, the aims and objectives of Hallmarks of Labour Foundation are to:
• Identify Nigerians, Africans and people of the Black race who have achieved success through hard work, honesty and integrity in their fields of endeavour.
• Use the achievements of these Role Models to demonstrate to Nigerians that success through genuine labour is rewarding and fulfilling.
• Develop a positive attitude among Nigerians, especially the youths, and encourage them to reject fraud, dishonesty and greed as means to success.
• Document for the purpose of history, the achievements of our noble patriots
HALLMARKS OF LABOUR FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME
In 2008, the Foundation decided it was time to begin to catch them young, nurture and groom tomorrow’s leaders, mindful of the fact that the investment in our human capital is crucial in our development as a nation, as no nation can be truly great unless the mental energy of her youths is properly harnessed. It is to this end and also in pursuit of our primary objective to promote the virtues of hard work, honesty and integrity in Nigeria that Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Annual Secondary School and Tertiary Institution Scholarship Scheme was established, with a focus on the indigent children of the Niger Delta. We are proud to state that our pioneer HLF Scholarship Recipients One hundred & four [104] Secondary Schools and Ten Tertiary students i.e. 2008 – 2013 session have completed their Secondary School Education, with impressive results. Many of them have gained admission into various universities while Tertiary Students have graduated. We are also pleased to note that the Foundation will take on One Hundred (100) more JSS1 students for the 2013/2014 session. The scholarship will last through the duration of their Secondary School Education. LAGOS STATE
The home of Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, the place where all our ideas began and have found roots. Indeed we are proud to say that starting from 2012/ 2013 Academic Session, twenty (20) secondary students selected from the six districts of Lagos now benefit from the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Scholarship Scheme. The award will see them through their secondary school education. This is only the beginning of our little contribution and ways of saying thank you to Lagos State the centre of Excellence. EKO ONI BAJE OOOO
WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA
The Foundation over the years has organized several workshops and symposia at national level and at university campuses with the following aims:
To enlighten the Nigerian public, rekindle the awareness of their civic rights and responsibilities and show how their performance or otherwise can affect the nation’s development. To remind governments at all levels of their responsibilities to their citizens and
To change the mindset of Nigerians and awaken in them the spirit of Nationalism, Patriotism and Loyalty. MENTORING
The Foundation continues to organise periodic primary and secondary schools visits for Role Models to act as mentors to students especially in the area of uprightness of character, patriotism and good citizenship. POSITIONING TOMORROW’S LEADERS TO ACHIEVE THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIALS
In 2012, the Foundation extended its focus to talent discovery among young Nigerians. The target group is the 7-26 years bracket, with exceptional/creative abilities portrayed in any field of positive human endeavour, including academics, the arts, science & technology, and sports. The project aims to:
Mentor the beneficiaries and provide them platforms to realize their potentials. Promote the development of leadership skills and
Nurture confident youths positioned to lead the change for a greater Nigeria. During its Sixteenth Anniversary Celebration, on October 17, 2012, the Foundation celebrated six outstanding young Nigerian achievers and two institutions, Nigeria’s overall Best School and the Best Public School in WASSCE (2011) -- Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi, Edo State and Air Force Comprehensive School, Agbani, Enugu State. We are happy to report that the Foundation donated a range of Laboratory Equipment and several Computers worth Three Million Naira (N3, 000,000.00) to the schools. On December 15, 2013, the Foundation also donated various ICT tools to the best performing school in WASSCE (2012) -- National Presentation High School, Benin City. Similarly, an indigent school, (Queen of Apostles Nursery & Primary School, Shinge Lafia, Nasarawa State) also received the Foundation support in some Desktop Computers. This year, the Foundation will construct a bore-hole complete with pumping machine for the school, to enable access to treated water. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Our Annual Empowerment Scheme, which commenced in 2008, has continued to provide small-scale business equipment, cash and various other items of trading as start-up capital to several widows and the indigent. Despite the challenges of topography and terrain, the HLF has made positive impact in quite a number of communities in the Niger Delta region. The Foundation commissioned a bore-hole water project in Jakpa, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State. Commissioned in 2009, it remains the only drinking water bore-hole on the Benin River axis; a sad irony of a people who are surrounded by water and yet have no water to drink. HLF FREE BASIC MEDICAL SERVICES
In 2012, the Foundation -- in partnership with Focus Community Initiative -- extended basic medical services to a number of communities in the Niger Delta area. The pilot programme covered a period of 9 [nine] days and the exercise recorded a large turn-out of people of all age groups. In addition, people were enlightened on the implications of diabetes and high blood pressure as well as the essence of good dietary and hygienic practices. HALLMARKS OF LABOUR ROLE MODEL AWARDS (HLR)
We celebrated our first Role Model in the person of late Prof. Thomas Adeoye Lambo, first African Psychiatrist and first Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 28th of November, 1997, seventeen years ago! Since then our list of Role Models, forty-two in all remains impeccable and faultless, little wonder, that the Hallmarks of Labour Role Model Awards have been described as the most prestigious Awards in Nigeria. To our awardees, we can only urge you to keep the flag flying. Even as we report our achievements , we quite fondly remember three of our role models, elder statesmen and great Nigerians who passed on to Glory between 2012 and 2014:
His Excellency, Ambassador Dr. Matthew Mbu, CFR, HLR [November 20, 1929-February 6, 2012] a pioneer Nigerian Diplomat and youngest Federal Minister to date. He was also a man of great personal charm and a gentleman of the first order. Honourable Justice Obakayode Samuel Eso, CON, HLR [September 18, 1925-November 16, 2012] a distinguished Jurist, a great protagonist of a free judiciary and a courageous advocate. Justice Chukwudifu Akunne Oputa, CFR, HLR [September 22, 1924 – May 4, 2014] Popularly referred to as Nigeria’s ‘Socrates’ and ‘Cicero’, he was the pioneer Chief judge of the old Imo State, a principal participant in the golden age of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, a philosopher, an accomplished forthright jurist, and intellectual equipped in many branches of human knowledge. His judgements will remain a permanent monument for generation of judges, lawyers, teachers and students of law. May their fulfilled souls rest in perfect peace, Amen
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR HALLMARKS OF LABOUR? The Foundation will like to use this Occasion to create awareness and seek support for its ongoing projects in the area of funding for our Annual Secondary School Scholarships Scheme. We plan to expand the scope of the scheme and enlarge the number of Annual Beneficiaries. We also intend to build a Modern Community Library with on-line facilities in Warri, Delta State. Indeed, we are happy to note that the land for this project has already been purchased by the Foundation. Finally, our ultimate objective is to build a Hall of Honour where the names and portraits of all our Recipients, HLR, will be engraved for all time. In time also, this Hall will become a museum of nation builders; great men and women who have made history, serving as inspiration and providing the much needed national pride and patriotism. To all our partners, we say a very big Thank You even as we look forward to more fruitful relationships in the years to come. Hallmarks of Labour Foundation welcome you all to this epoch making event. Again, we congratulate our worthy Recipient.
