By BASHIR ADEFAKA
To them who have served Nigeria, today is the day that Nigeria rewards them with honours for their selfless services. They include the indefatigable Registrar/Chief Executive of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, the ‘unputdownable’ image protector that is a fire brand of the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Adesina, who is Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity and, of course, the Talk-and-Do Governor of my country home state of Ondo, where I hail from as Prince of Isolo Land, Akure South Local Government, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN).
No doubt I am an unapologetic Buharist, a status I have maintained since I made up my mind to assume same following attempt by some ‘political terrorists’ who wanted President Muhammadu Buhari dead via a bomb blast at Kawo, Kaduna and got angry, querying why he used bullet proof SUV on the ill-fated day “if not that he stage-managed his own attack by himself”. That way they made me Buharist because I decided that, unlike other fellow professionals in their shoes, I refused to toe their line of doing things and chose to follow my own considered good path.
That I am alive to witness the President honouring people I hold in high esteem today in the persons of Oloyede, Adesina and Akeredolu among several others is for me to say I am fulfilled, especially when he will also be conferring national honour on a man that was mischievously misrepresented just for holding tight to protecting his boss the President, Malam Abba Kyari, the late Chief of Staff to the President. Kyari died in active service from complications of Coronavirus infections he contracted while working hard in Germany that Nigeria may have stable electricity. May Allah forgive Malam Kyari, expand his grave and admit him in Al-Jannah Firdaus, Amiin.
That I also see the Deji of Akure, His Royal Majesty Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi Odundun II and Hajia Amina Muhammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations among the 450 being honoured today gladdens my heart that patriotism and integrity pay and never make regrets.
The investiture is billed to hold today 11 October 2022 at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, the nation’s capital. President Buhari listed the nominees for the 2022 National Honours Award.
On the national honours list, out of the 450 nominees, five persons were listed for Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), 54 for Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), 67 for the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), 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).
Among these several stars I was able to figure out the diamonds that late Abba Kyari, who would be honoured posthumously with CFR, Mr Adesina OON, Prof. Oloyede CON and Akeredolu, “My Governor-My Governor”, CON, represent just as the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladelusi on the neighborhood of my city township of Isolo would also be honoured with CFR.
Other recipients of the national honour awards include serving and former governors, serving and former presiding officers of the National Assembly, serving and former Chief Justices of Nigeria and serving and former members of the National Assembly. I am glad. I see immediate past service chiefs including Lt General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, traditional rulers such as the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Olowa of Igbara-Oke among others on the list and I say to President Buhari, Thank You Mr. President!
And to all the honourees of today, I say congratulations! Prof. Oloyede, the man that changed the existing order at JAMB and who, like a cat with nine lives, has survived many onslaughts by the unpatriotic elements wanting JAMB run the other way round from the more Nigerianly style of the former University of Ilorin Vice Chancellor, I salute your unimaginable confidence, resilience and energetic tenacity.
To my own Oga, Mr. Femi Adesina, the Igbo chief I love to call the Apostle of Bomb Journalism, I do not know the exact word to use in congratulating you but will just settle for what President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, used to greet you when he returned from medical leave then and said to you, “Thank you for holding fast against mischief makers”. Chief Deacon Pastor Mr ‘Ambassador’ Femi Adesina, OON, I congratulate you!
As for you the Governor of my home state, I cannot appreciate you, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, enough. This is the best time for me to say to you that you are doing well Mr. Governor and, so, your national honour by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, could not have come at a better time than now. Congratulations AKETI!
To the Deji, Olowa and several others, kindly accept my congratulations while I call on other Nigerians, who are not yet so recognised to know that, recommendation or not, Nigeria will always find you out for honour, if you do well for the good and love of country. One day, we will all sing the song of victory against insecurity, sabotage, economic backwardness and Nigeria, when we keep asking Allah to bless her, will favour us all. Amiin.
God bless Nigeria!
