The Managing Director of Lakeside Estates, Prince-Joseph M.K. Ayiku, has been awarded by the West African Nobles Forum for exhibiting high level of integrity and morals in his business.

Mr. Ayiku was among 29 selected distinguished individuals from both the public and private sector in the West African sub-region who were recognized for “being an eminent West African who upholds the virtues of honesty, integrity and accountability.”

The West Africa Nobles Forum, a group of eminent West Africans, is a non-governmental, non-religious and non-profit making organization with its headquarters in Accra, with a membership of over 1,000.

The Forum works to compliment the efforts of the ECOWAS secretariat to make the ECOWAS dream a reality, and has been collaborating with West Africa International magazine to annually honour men and women of integrity in the sub-region.

The organization recognizes men and women of integrity, in the hope that such honesty will be replicated and emulated by others in the society to enhance the ethical behavior of people in society.

Prince-Joseph M.K. Ayiku, the new Noble of West Africa, said a chief responsibility of leadership is to be an example to others, a role model whom others can look up to.

He said being a role model has everything to do with character and the foundation of character is integrity.

He said all leadership failures in Africa are character failures and urged all to improve on their character, likening it to the foundation of a building; “when the foundation of a building is weak, the building will collapse, likewise when the character of a leader is weak, it amounts to a failure”.

He thanked the Forum for recognizing his efforts and that of others in the sub-region.

His company, Lakeside Estate is reputed to be a pioneer in the real estate industry in Ghana with high success ratings and public appeal.

The company is a member of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) with some awards to its name.

Other awardees included Governor Raji Tunder Fashola, Lagos State, Nigeria; Rev. (Dr.) Gordon Kisseih, the founder and General Oversee of Miracle Life Gospel Churches and President of Life International Schools; Mr. Gabriel Edgal, the Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of First Atlantic Bank; Nana Odeneho Kyeremateng, CEO of Comet Properties; DCOP Chiristian Tetteh Yohuno, Accra Regional Police Commander; Nana Owusu-Afari, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Afariwaa Group of Companies.