.Congratulates NCMM DG, Olugbile Holloway, on TIME100 Art Recognition
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to the Chairman of Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, on the occasion of his 60th birthday.
The President, in a congratulatory message issued on Thursday, lauded the investment banker for committing his experience and personal resources towards the development of Nigeria.
Tinubu, in the 10-paragraph release stated, inter alia: “I warmly congratulate Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, on his 60th birthday.
“I have followed Aigboje’s journey in business and public life over the years. He has earned his place among a generation of Nigerians who took bold bets on our country and proved that Nigerian institutions could compete at the highest levels.
“His years at Access Bank are an important part of that story. He became Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in 2002 and led the bank through a period of significant growth. Today, he is Chairman of Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group.
“Aigboje also gave his time and experience to the development of our financial markets. He served as President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and founding Chairman of FMDQ Securities Exchange. He currently serves as Co-Chairman of EnterpriseNGR.
“He has been equally willing to take on public responsibilities. In 2012, he chaired the Presidential Committee on the Verification and Reconciliation of Fuel Subsidy Payments, a difficult assignment at an important time for our country.
“I particularly commend the work Aigboje and his wife, Ofovwe, have done through the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation. They have invested in improving public service, preparing public servants for greater responsibility and supporting better healthcare. I am pleased that after considerable success in private enterprise, Aigboje continues to devote his experience and resources to the progress of our country.
“Sixty is an important milestone. For Aigboje, it is also an opportunity to reflect on a career that has touched many institutions and opened doors for many people.
“I join Ofovwe, their children, family, friends and associates in celebrating him today.
“I wish Aigboje good health, happiness and many more years of service to Nigeria and humanity.
“Happy 60th birthday, Aigboje.”
Also on Thursday, Tinubu congratulated the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Olugbile Holloway, on his inclusion in the inaugural TIME100 Art list of the 100 most influential people shaping the future of art.
The President, according to a release issued by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the recognition reflected the important work Mr Holloway and the Commission have undertaken to recover Nigeria’s cultural treasures and renew the institutions responsible for preserving them.
Since his appointment in March 2024, Mr Holloway has worked with His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin, to establish a clear framework for the retrieval, conservation and exhibition of returned Benin artefacts. The understanding strengthened Nigeria’s position in negotiations with foreign governments, universities and museums.
Under his leadership, the Commission secured the return of 119 Benin Bronzes from the Netherlands and the legal transfer of 116 Benin Bronzes from the University of Cambridge. Eighteen Benin Bronzes and four Ikom monoliths were also recently returned from Switzerland.
The Commission has also launched Nigeria’s first digital museum of antiquities, with more than 200 objects from the National Museum, Lagos, scanned in three dimensions and made available through an immersive online platform.
Tinubu commended the renovation of the National Museum, Lagos, including its upgraded galleries, modern display systems, and improved facilities for preserving and presenting Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
The President described the return of Nigeria’s cultural property as an important act of historical justice and a restoration of the dignity and memory of the communities from which the objects were taken.
He applauded Mr Holloway for the diplomacy and institutional leadership he has brought to the Commission and congratulates the NCMM staff on the international recognition of their work.
Tinubu urged the Commission to sustain its efforts to recover Nigeria’s cultural property, improve museums across the country and make the nation’s history more accessible to young Nigerians.