Fr Godfrey Nzamujo, Director and Founder of Songhai Regional Centre, continues to receive recognitions for his great initiative. This time, it is the United Nations Food and Agriculture (FAO) that distinguished him in Benin, during the celebration of 70 years since its creation. On Tuesday, December 15, 2015, a special medal was awarded to the man, whose many actions contributed to the fulfillment of the mandate of the United Nations specialized agency.
On the occasion of its 70th anniversary which is also that of the entire UN system, FAO celebrated the event with those who contributed to the fight against hunger and poverty in the world by working in agricultural development, improved nutrition and food security. Undoubtedly, Fr Godfrey Nzamujo is one of those personalities, as, according to Dr. Tiemoko Yo, FAO Representative in Benin, “through the model of Songhai Centre, he brought an innovative, dynamic and holistic contribution to transform African agriculture”. It is therefore right that the 70th anniversary of FAO commemorative medal is awarded to him to mark the recognition of the UN agency to the immense work accomplished by the man for the past 30 years and also honor its commitment to sustainable development in African rural areas.
This recognition by FAO comes in a solemn moment of its life of the centre. Indeed, since October 2015, Songhai is also celebrating its thirtieth anniversary. Grateful to his parents, his friends, collaborators and all those who believed in him until now, Fr Godfrey Nzamujo expressed his gratitude to FAO and everyone. He took the opportunity to re-specify the Songhai initiative was born of the will to “open the eyes” of African people, so that they can see the enormous wealth that God has provided the continent, and then initiate inner strengths to use them. For the Director of Songhai Centre, “Africa is so rich but so poor”, because poverty does not mean “not having money in his pocket or in the bank,” but rather, “the inability to see the opportunities that exist around you”; and in Africa these possibilities are enormous.
The United Nations representation intends to take advantage of the expertise of the FAO award recipient. Rosine Sori Coulibaly, United Nations Coordinator particularly promised – under the implication of the other representations – that the partnership with Songhai Centre will be further strengthened so that all the other countries where the institution operates, benefit from it.
The medal awarded to Fr Godfrey Nzamujo is a work of Francesco Bombardi, a prominent Italian sculptor. It “represents a female face carrying a basket full of ears of wheat. In the background is a rural landscape. On the other face, the medal has a large carriage pulled by an ox, a universal symbol of agricultural work through the ages.
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