The Constituency for Africa (CFA) offered a salute to “practical leadership” in Africa on Monday (May 6th) at a luncheon held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown Washington. The luncheon was organized by CFA to acknowledge and to encourage leadership at the level that directly impacts people on the ground in Africa.
CFA’s special guest and honoree for the luncheon was Engineer Gabriel Chukubeze Amuchi, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Offier for the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency in Abuja, Nigeria. Mr. Amuchi has been recognized by the Nigerian government and by Nigerian citizens from all walks of life, for the outstanding and transformative work that he is doing to operate, maintain and improve on Nigeria’s roads infrastructure.
Rosa Whitaker, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Whitaker Group, a Washington, DC-based consultancy specializing in trade and investment in Africa, was the keynote speaker for the luncheon. Rosa Whitaker praised Mr. Amuchi for the outstanding work that he is doing in operating and maintaining the roads systems in Nigeria, and his commitment to engaging young Nigerians by providing jobs and internships in transportation management. She also outlined and profiled a high standard for leadership in Africa and in the Diaspora in the 21st century. Further, Ms. Whitaker congratulated the Constituency for Africa for deciding to honor “practical leaders” in Africa. Said Whitaker, “All too often we focus our attention here in Washington on honoring politicians and wealthy entrepreneurs – simply because we see business opportunities with them! However, honoring someone like Engineer Amuchi, who is saving Nigerian lives by providing better roads, is a really a reflection on Mel Foote and the Constituency for Africa, who really try to be true to their name” They are trying to help Africa and African people - period!
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Engineer Gabriel Chukubeze Amuchi receives award from the Constituency for Africa’s President, Melvin Foote. Looking on are Ambassador Ade Adfuye, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States (second from the right), Steve Hayes, the President of the Corporate Council on Africa (far right); Rosa Whitaker, the luncheon keynote speaker, to Mr. Foote’s left, the Honorable Rodney Slater, the former Secretary of Transportation during the Clinton Administration, Ambassador Herman Cohen, who formerly served as the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Stanley Straughter, CFA’s Chairman, standing in the back.
Also present at the luncheon was the former Secretary of Transportation the Honorable Rodney Slater. Secretary Slater, who served as Transportation Secretary in the Clinton Administration, also praised highly the work of Engineer Amuchi in Nigeria, and talked about the critical importance that transportation plays in the economic development of a nation. Mr. Slater noted, “It is great to be here in support of the great work that is being done by Engineer Amuchi. Clearly,transportation is the ties that bind”!
