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…And formula for affordable housing by Mayor of Housing
Africa identified and celebrated its best 100 legends or most impactful transformers in different fields of endeavour. This was marked in Abuja at the Transcorp-Hilton featuring recognitions such as Aliko Dangote, Seyi Tinubu. In the housing sector, My-ACE China, known as the Mayor of Housing, a real estate success strategist, was singled out for recognition and award for his strategies to help reduce Africa’s housing deficit.
Observers at the award event identified three thematic thrusts the event may have in Africa: the need to declare state of emergency in Africa’s housing sector; the feeling the awards may have on winners; and the need to promote merit through awards in Africa so merit can lead in order of priority.
China, the CEO of the Construction and Housing Mayor Limited, has pioneered researches and experiments on how to go back to indigenous building materials and approaches (cooperative concept) to boost housing by mass building systems.
The glamorous award ceremony took place at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. It brought together the who-is-who in the private and public sectors; industry players and policymakers for the celebration of icons who have made significant impacts on peace-building and leadership.
It was all celebration and moment of conviviality as guests were entertained by a national cultural troupe, a former Nigerian Idol television talent show runner-up, Francis Atela, and other comedians with the icing on the cake by Gordon, the ace Nigerian comedian, musician and actor, Godwin Komone, known as Gordons, who hosted the event.
The brain behind the organization tried to help Africa understand the essence of the project.
In her opening remarks, Tonye Favour George, the Creative Manager Peace Legend Awards, said the initiative was aimed at identifying, celebrating, and amplifying the work of peace builders and social change agents across Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.
“Tonight is not just a gathering, it is a reminder that Africa has never been a shadow needing light, but a sun rising in its sky. We are gathered not to measure success by numbers but to honour the quiet, consistent flow of impact, of courage, of brands and personalities that dared to speak our stories in their tongue.
“We are here to review personalities who wove the fabric of the continent with pride, purpose, and power. The Peace Legend Award is an initiative aimed at identifying, celebrating, and amplifying the work of peace builders and social change agents across Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.
“This is the 14th edition. It has been hosted in Lagos State, Delta State, and Rivers State. Our vision is to be Africa’s leading platform for celebrating and empowering individuals, organisations, and brands committed to advancing peace, social impact, and transformational leadership.
“The effort is to inspire leaders and foster peaceful collaboration. We envision enhanced visibility for peacebuilding initiatives and their impact, increased public awareness and support for peace-related issues, and the empowerment of youth and women to participate actively in peacebuilding and community development. Like your favourite fruit juice and long caramel series, there’s always an end. Everything has an end — war, unemployment, and hunger. Whatever you give power to, controls everything you have control over. And tonight, we take back power — by standing for peace, and by honouring those who have used their platforms to build and uplift people.
“These 100 legends are not just names, they are testimonies that remind us that peace is not passive. It is intentional, strategic, and persistent even in the face of chaos. Tonight, we do not applaud just achievements — we rise in salute of resilience.”
Apart from Mayor of Housing, Dangote, and Seyi Tinubu, other legends honoured at the 14th edition of the Peace Legend Awards included, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi (Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Services) and Mohammed Abba Isa (Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities).
Most of the legends spoke after the recognition. Tseghomi Oteri said it inspired him to renew his commitment to what he has been doing. “This award is not just for me—it’s a testament to the incredible teams and communities I’ve worked with. Together, we’re building a future where peace and innovation coexist.”
In his response to the award, Mohammed Abba Isa dedicated the award to all persons with disabilities in Africa, acknowledging their significant role in the continent’s development.
He emphasised the importance of inclusivity and equality, stating that a thriving society benefits from the contributions of all individuals, including those with disabilities.
Reacting, China showed three ways the recognition has surged in his heart and what it would mean. He called it tripartite feeling. “The first part is elation at the fact that what we are doing in Port Harcourt is already resonating across the African continent. Our vision for reducing the housing problem in Nigeria and Africa is already heard across Africa for us to have been noticed. It is an honour.
“The second feeling is that it is an immense challenge to live up to live up to the perception that we have built. All we have done is to build our perception because our flagship the Alesa Highlands Sustainable Green Smart City is being constructed this year and we are moving from perception to brand experience. Our vision is for our brand experience to be stronger than our brand perception.
“The third feeling is delight that the Peace Legend award is able to spread its tentacles across Africa because the continent has a lot of international and political interest across the continent but there is hardly any meritocratic interest across the continent. So, to see any group that has taken it upon itself to sort out Africans that are doing something original and reward them, I feel elated. I wish them deeper digging to bring out more genuine persons doing things across Africa.”
He talked about the need to declare state of emergency in Africa’s housing sector and line up actions to reverse the growing trend. He said a path on the back to entrepreneurs and achievers may be better than alert in the bank. He thus called for return to merit as order of doing things so only the very best is recognized. This is as he gave tips on how to stop collapse of houses in Nigeria.
Speaking at the podium after receiving the award, China showered encomiums on the organisers and urged them not to rest on their oars. “We are actually humbled that the little things we are doing in Port Harcourt, even though it is a global project, is getting continental attention. For those that will be receiving awards tonight, they should be challenged to restore the culture of meritocracy. That you are awarded, it is a challenge for us to be an example and I promise I will definitely be one of those examples.”
Speaking later to newsmen, the Mayor of Housing said apart from the award that has been bestowed on him, that he was actually very impressed with the diligence. “Sometimes, even the regional bodies like the African Union and other regional African bodies are not able to actually dig deep to know both performing brands and personalities in Africa.
“Many of the Unions and bodies are being seen more as political unions but this is the first time that the Peace Legends Awards has done actual due diligence and every part of Africa is part of Africa.
“I have been doing my thing in Port Harcourt feeling like somebody in a local pond. To be discovered in the continental river that we are making a contribution, for me it is a double feeling; the feeling of being seen and rewarded; and the feeling of being challenged because by the time you are recognised at the continental stage, you now need to deliver value that is continental and global. So, I feel both impressed and challenged at the same time.”
Declare state of emergency in housing in Africa:
On what makes the award relevant to Africa as a continent, the real estate success strategist said it is time to declare a state of emergency in Africa’s housing sector with a roadmap for bringing down the 42 million deficit.
He said: “Africa as a continent has 42 million housing deficit and about 24 – 28 million in Nigeria. Housing has become such a place of crisis that I think a state of emergency should be declared in Africa. The most prominent root of the problem is when Africa departed from indigenous building systems and materials to imported and monetised building materials. When we were building with local materials, nobody in African villages was homeless, but when these highly monetised and imported materials took over, the alarming rate of homelessness or housing deficiency is shocking.
“So, I have taken it upon myself to reduce or try to eliminate the housing deficit in Nigeria and here in Africa through solutions that are simple and sustainable and mainly through collaborations. So, I call myself the most collaborative businessman in Africa.”
Read also: Nigeria’s housing deficit deepening, experts warn
Why houses collapse in Nigeria:
On what can be done to tackle Nigeria’s housing collapse menace, China advised governments in Nigeria to adopt models that have worked in housing in Nigeria and Africa; the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP). “But right now, the failure of PPP is when they replaced the private with ‘political’. Why you see houses collapsing in Nigeria and Africa is that the bureaucracy or political office holders that have compromised on established standards.
“Another is that they are in political power they know there will be no consequences of such approvals of sub-standard (houses). But when the government can go into actual PPP and have private institutions or individuals contracted with regulating the standard, when a house collapses and a private individual knows he will suffer, I assure you no house will collapse in Africa.”
A path on the back stronger than alert in the bank
On the power of recognition and path on the back, Mayor of Housing said his team has a lot of solutions in the kitty. “The reason we are starting from Port Harcourt is that, Port Harcourt is one of the most beautiful cities that have been underdeveloped in Nigeria and has more potential than even most of the developed cities in Nigeria. And what we are doing is to open up Port Harcourt to the rest of the world.
“So, this award being a continental award with a global attention will not only bring the attention of the world to my brand but bring the attention of the world to the development we are bringing in Port Harcourt which is the world class sustainable Green Smart City project that will not only open up Port Harcourt but be a pilot scheme and a model from which we can replicate in every other part of not just Nigeria but Africa as a whole.”
He said the award is more like an unearthing or unveiling of a hidden treasure. “It is very important in the receding aspect of our national and continental life which is meritocracy. In Africa and Nigeria, politics and political news headlines have taken over the clime, so most people are no longer seeing the guys that are actually pushing the needles and the meritorious guys.
“So, this a global unearthing of those of us that are actually doing the real estate sector work and it is so important that today I’m here with my Korean international partners on our development because this is more a global acknowledgement of the work that we are doing locally because I tell people, for any development to come anywhere locally, it has to be internationally very local.”
So, he added, what Peace Legend Awards group is doing with this is making the efforts entrepreneurs are making locally to go global not only to get the endorsement of the global community but attract the investment and interest of the global pushers because the best model is when one is already working, when one is already swimming, the rest of the globe can come and you swim but when they don’t see that you are already doing something, you might not get any collaboration.
He admitted that there are many Nigerians who are still not recognised in their fields of endeavours making impact. He said they would be encouraged with recognitions and awards.
“What Peace Legends Awards is doing is to scratch the surface. There are so much Nigerians doing very noble things that are not being recognised. The meritocracy industry is almost an endangered industry in Nigeria where you are almost fighting against the tide alone and not being recognized. So, this is adding feathers to our wings, knowing that what we are doing to push the development needle in Nigeria and Africa is being noticed.
“Sometimes, a path on the back stronger than alert in the bank.”
He used the opportunity mention his work with international partners. “My foreign technical partners are coming from Korea. One beautiful thing about Korea is that, Korea went through the same development organogram like Nigeria or the development journey. In the early 70s and 80s, Korea was where Nigeria is today. So, they have seen what it takes to go from a third world country to where they are today.
“Apart from the fact that they are coming with technical support. They are coming with financial support, they are coming with something that is priceless which is experiential support because they have gone through this development path and they can see and tell the actual indices of development. That is why we are partnering with them and that is why even when they heard about this award, they have come to see it themselves and experience and can give us guidance from the experience they have and the experience we are having as a nation.”
