By Amin Kef Sesay
The highly seasoned and well-experienced Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd), Amb. Kobi Walker, it seems, will continue to bag prestigious accolades unless he says “enough is enough”.
During a well-attended ceremony held on Saturday 13th November 2021 climaxing the 3rd Annual Vision Conference of the Springs of Joy Ministries with the theme: “As Far as You Can See”, a prestigious Visionary Award was presented to the erudite and charismatic personality in the person of Ambassador Kobi Walker for his immense extraordinary leadership passion and vision.
Giving a backdrop, the Founder of Springs of Joy Ministries, Abraham Siafa, disclosed that Kobi Walker started his career with Aldeston Navesy and Co. Chartered Accountants and Financial Management Consultants in the United Kingdom as a Student Accountant, and held various accounting and financial management positions in the U.K. before returning to Sierra Leone in 1991.
He said that he worked with the National Development Bank as Accountant at the Head Office, before he moved to the Sierra Leone Brewery Limited as Senior Accountant, then transferred to Marketing and in 2001 he was seconded to the Nigerian Breweries Plc where he held various jobs, and in 2002 he returned to Sierra Leone as the Sales and Marketing Manager for Sierra Leone Brewery Limited.
Abraham Siafa, further revealed that in 2011, Kobi moved to NP (SL) Limited as Marketing Manager with responsibility to manage the Sales and Operations functions of the company and in 2017, he was appointed as the company’s General Manager furthering that he was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2019 stating that he is currently part of the team at NP (SL) Limited, where he has helped in taking the company to a multinational status.
He added that Kobi Walker was recently appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the UNSDG4 in Sierra Leone going further to inform how he has received numerous meritorious awards including that of Chief Executive Officer of the Year, 100 Most Outstanding and Influential Sierra Leonean etc.
“Kobi Walker is a Financial Administration Graduate from the Institute of Chartered Secretary and Administration in the United Kingdom and holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration and Management and a certified International Business Leader,” he concluded.
He further used the opportunity to throw light on the Springs of Joy Ministries. Abraham Siafa said the Ministry started about 15 years ago as a Music Ministry in Sierra Leone but said over the years it was transformed into full Ministries with churches also disclosing how they also have at free tuition school in Lungi.
He continued that they do render assistances to less privileged children by offering them school items , adding how they have also been doing other charitable work by proving free medical support to deprived communities as well as engaging in feeding people living with disabilities in the country.
He maintained that 3 years ago they commenced a Vision Conference with the aim to raise up visionaries in the country and beyond in order to make a difference in society, noting that this year’s conference marks the 3rd edition of the Annual Vision Conference which so far has attracted over 200 participants.
He said that as part of this year’s conference they deemed it fit to celebrate people who are contributing to nation building by awarding them with Visionary Awards of which Ambassador Kobi Walker falls among those personalities who are considered worthy to be recipients of the remarkable award.
Commenting on the award, Amb. Kobi Walker profusely thanked the Springs of Joy Ministries for recognizing his extraordinary leadership passion and vision in the country of which assured all that he will continue to work in that direction towards the development of country.
He described the award as a historic owing to the fact that he has a lot of passion and vision in all what he has been doing, adding that the award will serve as a motivation for him to continue to do the things he has passion for.
