In recognition of their immense contributions to community pharmacy practice in Nigeria, prominent pharmacists in the country, including Pharm. (Sir) Ike Onyechi, CEO, Alpha Pharmacy and Stores; Pharm. Taofik Oladipupo Odukoya, CEO, Vanguard Pharmacy Ltd; Pharm. (Mrs) Folasade Lawal, CEO, Victory Drugs; Pharm. Gbolagade Iyiola, chairman Lagos PSN; Pharm. Olubowale Olugbenga, and others have been decorated as Distinguished Community Pharmacists ((DCPharm) by the Association of Community Pharmacist of Nigeria (ACPN) on Monday.
The investiture and conferment of awards, which held during the ACPN’s Award Dinner at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos was well attended by dignitaries in the pharmaceutical sector among whom were Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Prof. Moji Adeyeye; Commissioner for Ministry of Tourism Lagos State, Pharm. (Mrs) Uzamat Akinbile Yusuf; Former Lagos gubernatorial aspirant, Pharm. Jimi Agbaje; President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Prof. Cyril Usifoh; captains of industries, to mention but a few.
In his remarks, Onyechi who was the chairman of the occasion appreciated ACPN for the honour bestowed on him, as he seized the opportunity to call for true and dynamic leadership in the industry. While admitting that the association has witnessed different leadership styles since inception, he charged his colleagues at the helms of affairs to be intentional about adding values to peoples’ lives through their leadership.
Speaking on the theme of the event, “Leadership: A delicate balance”, the Alpha Pharmacy boss emphasised the need for leaders to be men and women of integrity, who will go all the way to walk their talk and fulfill their promises to the led. “Leadership is not a jamboree; it is responsibility that demands accountability”.
He asserted that: “Going forward, anyone who does not know the way has no reason to be in leadership, because he will definitely mislead the people and the association as a whole. Again if you are not a person who appreciates value, you can’t lead others, because a leader needs to add values to the lives of the led.
“Leaders are readers, so anyone who is in position of leadership without reading quality materials to benefit the lots of him and subordinates, will not make a good leader at the end of the day”, he explained.
Onyechi, who has got several recognitions based on his excellent leadership style, urged the pharmacists to up their games in leadership in order to live up to the expectations of their subordinates and the association.
Some of the awards he bagged previously are the prestigious May & Baker Professional Service Award 2020; NHEA 2021 Pharmacy Retail Outlet of the Year for his pharmacy outlet; PSN President’s Award and Hugin Community Pharmacy HIV/AIDS Award.
For the Vanguard Pharmacy Founder and CEO, the award is a recognition of years of commitment and hard work to retail pharmacy is Nigeria and a motivation to go the extra mile in making quality and affordable medicines accessible to people.
Speaking with Pharmanewsonline shortly after receiving his award, Odukoya said : “It was indeed a great honour to be recognised as a Distinguished Community Pharmacist. It is indeed a recognition of the hard work we have put into that space in the past and another reason for us to continue to impact the communities we serve.
“Great thanks to the Immediate Past Chairman of ACPN, Dr Samuel Adekola for a job well done.
‘To the new Chairman, Pharm. Wale Oladigbolu, we wish him a great and impactful tenure”.
Pharm. Odukoya was also one of the winners at the 2021 NHEA, as his pharmacy won the “Most Improved Pharmaceutical Outlet of the Year 2021”.
 by the Association of Community Pharmacist of Nige){kind=link}