Gbajabiamila receiving his award

Today, Tuesday, 11 October, all eyes were on the International Conference Center, Abuja where President Muhammadu Buhari presented nominees with their National Awards. Last Sunday, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs. announced and released the details of recipients.

Awardees include the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ariwoola and Immediate past Chief Justice Tanko Mohammed, who would both be bestowed with the award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger; together with Director of World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.

Also those included in the category are Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nation.

According to the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, the honourees also include living and deceased Nigerians and “Foreigners” who “will be conferred with awards ranging from Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger to Federal Republic Medals.”

Others include Solomon Adeola (CON), Akinboro Aruwajoye (OON), Dr Prince Ibidapo (OON), A.V.M Ishaya Shekarri (CON), Mrs Comfort Eyitayo (OON), Ajibola Adebutu (MON), Demola Seriki (CON), Habeeb Okunola (MON), Mrs Shade Okoya (MON), Senator Tolulope Odebiyi (CON), Dr Gabriel Ogbechie (OON), Mele Kyari (OFR), Oba Babatunde Ajayi (CFR), Dr Attia Nasreddin (OFR), Mr Olusola Adeeyo (OON), Dr Richard Nyong (OON) and Mr Remi Makanjuola (OON).

They also include Senator Michael Bamidele (CON), Dr Samson Ayokunle (CON), Justice Idris Haroon (OFR), Justice Sulyman Kawu (OFR), Dr Sulaiman Onikijipa (OON), Dr Kamorun Yusuf (MON), Rear Admiral Abdul Adamu (OFR), Mr Victor Etuokwu (MON), Dr Herbert Wigwe (CON), Gershom Henshaw (MFR), Adeniyi Bashir Adewale (MFR), Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (OFR), amongst others.

Some of the 13 persons who will be honoured posthumously include former Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari (CFR); former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru; and Aircraft Man Matthew Oyedepo.

The List 437 nominees:

The breakdown is as follows. Five Nigerians  recived Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON); 54 Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) and 67, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). There are 64 for Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR); 101 for Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), 75 for Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), 56 for Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and eight for Federal Republic Medal (FRM).

GCON

Apart from Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, the other recipients of the GCON are the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kayode Ariwoola, his predecessor; Tanko Muhammad and UN Deputy Secretary-General; Amina Mohammed.

CFR

Prominent on the list of recipients for CFR include Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; former Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and Appeal Court president, Monica Mensem, and former Army Chief, Tukur Buratai.

Others are Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, his predecessor, Mohammed Adamu, Emir of Lafia, Sidi Bage, and Tor Tiv, James Ayatse, amongst others.

CON

Some nominees in this category of national honours are the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Ishaq Oloyede and state governors such as Mai Mala-Buni (Yobe), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna).

Others are Babagana Zulum (Borno), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives; Idris Wase, Finance minister, Zainab Ahmed and her works counterpart, Babatunde Fashola, amongst others.

OFR

Nominees in this category include the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama, CEO of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, Nasiru Bayero and Muiz Banire.

Others are Ishaq Bello, Aliyu El-Nafaty and Kehinde Aina, amongst others.

OON

Some nominees in this category include National Assembly members such as Alhassan Doguwa, Muktar Betara, Ndudi Elumelu and Nkiruka Onyejeocha.

Others are a former Permanent Secretary, Sunday Echono, NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, Sarki Abba and Sabiu (Tunde) Yusuf, amongst others.

MFR

In this category of the national honours awards are Sanusi Lemu, late DIGJoseph Egunike (posthumous), Haliru Nababa and Burna Boy.

Others are Simon Shango, Billy Okoye, Akwa Okon and Emeka Agbanari, amongst others.

MON

Notable in this category is 2Face Idibia, Shehu Othman, Teni the entertainer and Abubakar Maikano.

Publisher bags National Award

Publisher of Fresh Facts Newspapers, Mr. Segun Abrams, has been confered with the prestigious national award of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic, OFR, by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Abrams was honored today alongside other eminent personalities at the 2022 National Honour Awards at a colourful ceremony presided over by Nigeria’s President, at the International Conference Center, Abuja.
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.

Segun Abrams

Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Prominent Lawyers such as Professor Itsey Sagay, SAN, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Retired Chief Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, Current Chief Justice Kayode Ariwoola, Justice of the Court of Appeal Mrs Monica Dogbam – Mensem, Director General of World Trade Centre Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Deputy Secretary General of UN Ms Amina Mohammed, Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, among others, were also decorated with various awards by the nation’s president.
Abrams has been a journalist for nearly 35 years and holds a Doctorate Degree in Public Policy.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants-Nigeria; Fellow, Institute of Management Specialists-United Kingdom, Member, Africa Business Club, and; Member, Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, among others.