By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A platform designed to reward and honour gallant security guards and companies in Nigeria has been created by a fast-growing internet service provider, OneData.
The portal, known as Men of Honour, was formed in commemoration of International Security Day (ISD) 2023, marked on July 24.
Members of the public can access the website via https://menofhonour.ng to nominate individuals as well as private security companies carrying out their heroic duties with vigour and gallantry.
While the ISD is marked annually to remember and give thanks to security officers for the protection they provide, OneData has chosen July 28 to appreciate security guards who often do not get enough recognition and attention as government-owned conventional security agencies.
The firm has collaborated with its partners to organise the Men-of-Honour Awards ceremony, where cash prizes and recognition plaques would be presented to outstanding men in uniform and private security outfits considered worthy of the honour by the jury set up by the organisers.
The event is scheduled for 10:00 am on Friday, July 28, 2023, at Boutique Hotels in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, with an opening keynote address by the Lagos State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Usman Alfadarai.
The founder of OneData and coordinator of Men-of-Honour, Mr Wale Owoeye, described the event as an avenue to express gratitude to those in uniform who sacrifice so much in protecting lives and properties but are hardly noticed.
“We came up with a method of doing this with the www.menofhonour.ng where the public can nominate exceptional security guards, tell us truthfully what this person has done and why he should be appreciated or celebrated.
“We are collating all these nominations, and in the spirit of the season, we are going to extend some forms of appreciation to them in cash and in kind.
“Typically, we overlook this role of security guards in this part of the world. But these are men and women whose role is to be awake when we are sleeping and I think the kind of work they do calls for our conscious attention to appreciate what they do so that they are able to do more,” he said, noting that security guards are usually not given enough attention like the conventional security arms.
For instance, he said, Nigeria celebrates Armed Forces Remembrance Day, just as there are other different days for remembering and honouring security apparatus from nation to nation, while security guards are usually overlooked.
“The truth, however, is that they are the first line of security defence. They do surveillance to secure the environment and personal assets; they patrol the environment to ward off criminals, and that is just in addition to other things they do. They basically put their lives on the line. They are worthy of recognition and appreciation, which is what we are doing with the Men-of-Honour initiative,” Mr Owoeye stated.
Other partners on the project are FiberOne, ipNX Nigeria, FibreHub, DigiKraaft and Business Metrics Nigeria.
