Mr Ayoola Lawal, former secretary, APC Committee of Diaspora Chairmen, says the 2026 Clevenard Global Awards to some Nigerians signifies the nation’s high visibility on the global stage.
Lawal, who was among the recipients at the awards held in Alicante, Spain, on Aug. 30, said the recognition highlighted the growing role of diplomacy, diaspora networks and public-sector leadership.
He said the recognition also demonstrated the importance of professional expertise in strengthening Nigeria’s international engagement, collaborations and relationships with other countries and institutions.
The APC chieftain made this known in a statement on Thursday, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He noted that the international gathering provided opportunities for participants to establish partnerships across different sectors.
“Many collaborations were established on tourism, AI research and non-governmental partnerships,” he stated.
Lawal, a Nigerian-born Sweden-based organisational strategist, politician, management consultant and researcher, was honoured alongside international figures at the third edition of the awards.
He received a Clevenard Honorary Award in recognition of his contributions to organisational excellence, leadership development, diaspora engagement, policy advocacy and technological change.
The award also recognised approaches to technological development that emphasise human responsibility, safety and accountability, particularly in the application of emerging technologies.
The awards formed part of the closing programme of the Clevenard Open Project 2026, held from Aug. 27 to Aug. 30 in Alicante, Spain.
The gathering brought together diplomats, former ministers, senior public officials, academics, business executives, investors, tourism leaders and professionals from several countries.
Among the international figures associated with the 2026 awards were Ambassador Alain St.Ange, Ambassador-at-Large of Seychelles and former minister responsible for tourism, civil aviation, ports and marine.
Others included Dr Abulfas Garayev, former Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan, and Dr Balbina Malheiros Dias da Silva, Angola’s Ambassador to Spain.
Also associated with the awards were British aviation figure and Guinness World Record holder Fred Finn, Prof. Joyce Ndalichako of Tanzania, a former cabinet minister, and Mariam Ally Lesian, President of the Pan Africa Tourism Board.
Nigeria was represented by several senior public and diplomatic figures who participated in the programme and were recognised for their contributions in various fields.
Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Spain, was among those recognised for contributions to diplomacy, governance, education, economic development and international cooperation.
Also honoured was Dr Emeka Obi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Civil Service Commission, whose recognition reflected his contributions to public administration, institutional leadership and professionalism.
Obi also participated in the programme as a keynote speaker, addressing institutional effectiveness, public-sector development and the role of strong public institutions in Africa’s economic progress.
Mr Ayotunde Adigun, Head, Immigration Attaché at the Embassy of Nigeria in Spain, was another Nigerian recipient recognised for his responsibilities in immigration administration and migration management.
Other Nigerian public figures associated with the honours included Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, CON, and veteran diplomat, Ambassador Ferdinand Nwonye.
During the Alicante programme, Lawal spoke on the theme, “Leading the Future: Human Intelligence in an AI-Driven World.”
His presentation focused on how organisations could adopt increasingly capable artificial intelligence systems without weakening human judgement or obscuring responsibility for decisions affecting individuals, employees and institutions.
He also addressed the need to translate emerging artificial intelligence regulation into practical governance arrangements that allowed people to question system outputs and intervene where necessary.
The Clevenard Open Project featured discussions on diplomacy, education, investment, tourism, international trade, technology, culture and international cooperation before concluding with the global awards.
Lawal said the participation of figures from Africa, Europe and other regions created opportunities for greater cooperation in government, diplomacy, business, tourism, research and culture.
Lawal previously served as National Chairman of the Scandinavia Chapter of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria and later as National Chairman of the APC Scandinavia chapter.
He also served as Secretary of the APC Committee of Diaspora Chairmen, coordinating activities of the party’s diaspora leadership across several countries.
His political involvement in Nigeria included being a Lagos State House of Assembly aspirant and later a candidate for the Federal House of Representatives.
Alongside his political and diaspora activities, Lawal has worked in organisational strategy, management consulting and international development, with particular interest in relations between Africa and the Nordic region.
His current research examines the implications of artificial intelligence and automation for organisations and the workplace, focusing on human responsibility, safety, accountability and organisational performance.(NAN)
