The award is usually given Nigerian leaders, even without lifting a finger in performance. Former president, Umar Yar’Adua was on record to have rejected the one the bigger title, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR bestowed on him by former leader, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Jonathan gave Osinbajo the honour last night at a presidential inaugural dinner in Abuja, in which Jonathan also urged Nigerians to cooperate, support and show understanding in all situations to the Muhammadu Buhari administration for the progress of the country.
Jonathan, said the new administration deserved the support because Nigerians irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds belonged to “one strong family’’.
According to him, for the country to make steady progress Nigerians must all work together at all levels regardless of the outcome of the 2015 general elections.
He, therefore, called on the Buhari administration to pursue programmes and policies meant to promote national unity and rapid development of the country.
In her remarks at the occasion, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, assured President Muhammadu Buhari, of the Union’s support.
Zuma, who also congratulated former President Jonathan for his statesmanship during and after the election, described him as a “statesman not in age but in status’’.
“Nigerians, you did us proud because if things go well in Nigeria they will go well in our continent,” she said.
In his goodwill message, the President of the ECOWAS commission, Mr Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, thanked the people and government of Nigeria for ensuring peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections.
He described the exercise as Nigeria’s greatest contribution to ECOWAS.
Ouédraogo also commended Nigeria’s effort in tackling the spread of Ebola virus across the sub-region as well as the political crises in Guinea Bissau, Mali and other ECOWAS countries.