The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Tuesday in Abuja, conferred national honours on at least 450 persons—comprising 443 Nigerians and seven foreigners, described as “Friends of Nigeria.”
According to him, citizens who contribute to national development should be encouraged and rewarded.
The president said, “It is worthy of note that nation-building involves a lot of sacrifice by the citizenry. Citizens who contribute to national development deserve to be encouraged and appreciated.
“It is based on this premise that I reconstituted the National Honours Award Committee chaired by Justice Sidi Muhammad, the Emir of Lafia, a distinguished retired justice, and other patriotic Nigerians as members to recommend suitable Nigerians and our friends for appropriate recognition.
“The committee has done a patriotic duty by diligently going through over 5,000 submissions and coming up with these recommendations.
“The patriotic Nigerians and our friends being honoured today have distinguished themselves in various ways to recreate a new Nigeria of our dreams through respect for the rule of law, image laundering, transparency, and accountability in the management of scarce resources.”
He revealed that 5,000 nominations were reduced to 450 awardees using criteria outlined in the National Honours Act, CAP.N43 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The President also appealed to other Nigerians who are yet to receive the recognition to be “patient and understand that their efforts in nation building are appreciated and, at the right time, will similarly be recognised.”
5,000 nominations
In his address earlier, the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, George Akume, revealed that 5,000 persons were nominated for awards ranging from Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger to Federal Republic Medals.
Six persons were conferred with GCON, 55 received Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic, 65 got the Commander of the Order of Niger, 77 were presented with the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic; 110 received the Officer of the Order of the Niger; 74 were presented with Member of the Order of the Federal Republic and 55 received Member of the Order of the Niger.
There were four recipients each for the Federal Republic Medal I and Federal Republic Medal II.
The seven foreigners honoured received the OFR award.
Leading the 2022 National Honours Award recipients in the category of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger are: President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; Immediate Past CJN, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad; Director-General, World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed; and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande.
Some others include Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku (CON); business magnate, Kessington Adebutu (CFR); Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero (CFR); the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III (CFR); the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Wole Olanipekun (CFR); Mrs Comfort Eyitayo (OON); the late Dr Stella Adavevoh (OON); Dr Olamide Brown (MFR); Dr Linus Okorie (MFR); and Damini Ogulu, a.k.a Burna Boy (MFR).
Senate President speaks
Lawan, who spoke on behalf of the recipients, described the honours as an additional call to service.
He said, “This award is an additional call to service. It is a call to duty and an invitation to realise that citizens’ efforts will not be in vain.
“We are therefore inspired, motivated and admonished to keep up our inputs, as stakeholders in the building of a virile nation.”
Orelope-Adefulire reacts
A recipient of the honour of the Officer of the Federal Republic Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, also described the honour as a call for more service to humanity.
Orelope-Adefulire, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, spoke with journalists after she was conferred with the national award.
She said, “Beyond the label, this award is another call on me and my office to intensify activities aimed at achieving the overall objective of the Sustainable Development Goals, which is ‘leave no one behind.’
“Already, we have delivered key interventions in health, education, empowerment, and job creation that are already yielding expected dividends in terms of saving lives of our mothers and their children, and enhancing the livelihoods and welfare of women, children and youths across the country.”
Burnaboy’s Dad
Mr Samuel Ogulu, the father of Grammy Award-winning singer, Damini Ogulu (Burnaboy), said he felt elated as his son was “finally” recognised for his work.
Ogulu, who received the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic on behalf of his son, said, “I feel elated and grateful that his hard work and dedication have been recognised, finally. I think there’s still a lot for him to do. He’s just starting.
“This will encourage him to do more and encourage all those behind him to follow suit.”
Ola Brown
The Founder of Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Group, Dr Ola Brown, who was honoured with MFR, said she was not expecting to be recognised this early in her career as a healthcare entrepreneur.
“It’s an honour, number one to receive it at all, but particularly to be a young person that does not work inside the government, but it’s actually outside the government and still deemed worthy,” she said.
Linus Okorie
Another recipient of MFR and leadership consultant, Linus Okorie, described the honour as a breakthrough in his 27-year career.
“I just feel energised and excited because it’s 27 years of the work that I have done for leadership development in Nigeria and having your country recognise you is the greatest honour I can imagine,” he said.
Fresh Facts’ publisher
The publisher of Fresh Facts Newspapers, Mr Segun Abrams, was also honoured with OFR.
“Abrams is said to have been given the award for his contribution to nation-building, commitment to a better society and the deepening of democracy in Nigeria,” a statement from the newspaper read.
