Jonathan places national flag designer on salary of
presidential aide for life
• Maiden Alex-Ibru dedicates award to her late
husband, staff, readers
FOR their diligence, dedication to duty and honesty,
four Nigerians received double honours at
yesterday’s conferment of national awards on
distinguished Nigerians and foreigners.
The event was part of the activities for the 54th
independence anniversary.
The special awardees included Mr. Imeh Usuah, the
taxi driver, who in 2007 returned N18 million left in
his cab by a foreigner who hired him from the
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja; Mr.
Onuh Isaac Michael, the Chief Steward of the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, who served nine Presidents
and Heads of State right from the Second Republic,
Corporal Solomon Dauda, a traffic warden stationed
at a strategic location in the Federal Capital Territory
and Mr. Taiwo Akinkunmi, the 77-year-old designer
of the national flag.
The Publisher of The Guardian, Lady Maiden Alex-
Ibru, who received the MFR alongside others, said
that the award would inspire her to attain greater
heights. She dedicated the award to her late
husband, the staff of The Guardian and the reading
public.
She said she received the award with mixed
feelings, noting, “whatever your president decides to
offer you, you must accept it graciously, so I’m
actually thankful. This is the first time I’m attending
even as a guest.”
Mrs. Alex-Ibru said she was not expecting the
award, disclosing that she was at a meeting when
her son received a text message congratulating him
on this award.
She said the event meant that there was hope for
Nigeria, noting that “all we need to do is to put our
house in order because the country is such a
blessed country, with human resources, natural
resources. But you can’t do these things if there is
no stability, no peace, if the country doesn’t feel
secure and the threat we are experiencing is not
coming from outside, it is coming from within and
so it is really quite bad. And I just hope that God
will intervene very soon so that the country can
continue to enjoy some peace and we can all get on
with the business of the day.”
On her advice for other Nigerians, she said:
“Everybody should try to put in their best in
whatever they do.” Citing the case of the taxi driver,
the publisher said he returned the money seven
years ago, “but you can see that honesty pays. It
has been not just an honour but also he is going
home with a three-bedroom flat and I’m genuinely
happy for him.”
Besides the various categories of national awards,
the three recipients got three-bedroom flats in the
FCT, while Akinkunmi is to receive the salary of a
special assistant to the president for life.
Akinkunmi was awarded the Officer of the Order of
the Federal Republic (OFR); Usuah got the Member
of the Order of Federal Republic ( MFR); while Onuh
and Dauda received the Member of the Order of the
Niger ( MON).
The president directed the Minister of the FCT, Bala
Mohammed, to immediately make available the
houses to the trio whom he specially called to the
podium. The president further directed the Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius
Anyim, to place septuagenarian Akinkunmi on a
lifetime salary of a special assistant to the president.
The two other beneficiaries of the house largesse
were Usuah and Dauda. Dauda was recognised for
his exceptional dedication to duty at his post in
Abuja.
Jonathan expressed the hope that the recognition
accorded all the recipients would inspire other
Nigerians to rededicate themselves to rendering
services to the country and humanity.
He underscored the essence of the awards,
pointing out that “no great nation toys with honours
that constitute its national code of ethics.” The
president said a national honour must never be seen
as a piece of paper or garland that could be obtained
by persons of questionable character.
He therefore urged Nigerians to actively participate
in the nomination process whenever it is advertised
in the media, and noted that the broader spectrum
exhibited in this year’s award was an indication of a
wide search conducted by the Honours Committee.
Jonathan lamented that much of society had lost
respect for noble professions and vocations, adding
that there was a time when people feared to tread
near places of worship whereas religious houses had
now become targets of bombings and vandalism.
“A nation is void and soulless if she does not have
those sacred values it holds dear and individuals
who project them. It is in such men and women that
you find the authentic inheritance of the generations
and their nurturing. That is why a nation is poor that
is not rich in people who carry noble values that are
transferred from generation to generation.
“No great nation will toy with honours that
constitute her trans-generational character code.
This was why I insisted last year that our national
honour must never be seen as a piece of paper or
garland round the neck which individuals not worthy
of honour can pick up and continue to project wrong
values that diminish our heritage.
“I also directed the National Honours Committee to
always cast their net wide to ensure that all strata of
our society where honourable Nigerians are excelling
should be brought into the honours’ fold.”
The president urged all Nigerians to participate in
the selection of those they thought deserved the
awards, saying that was the only way Nigerians
could claim the ownership of the exercise even as
he urged Nigerians in all their professional callings
to strive to give their best, saying recognition could
come through such efforts.
The president recalled that in the past, honesty and
dedication were prominent virtues, saying the
decadence the country was experiencing was as a
result of the loss of these virtues.
He said: “I believe one of the reasons why our
society is not at ease is because we have neglected
our ennobling traditional value system. There was a
time in our country that when you were honoured
with traditional or religious titles in any community,
you were deemed to personify the highest ethos of
that community.
“It was a period when a teacher was the hallmark of
the most honourable values in a settlement. The
bank manager in any community was a man of high
probity in whose care people trusted their money and
were rest assured.
“It was a period when people kept quiet and walked
gently when they approached a place of worship for
the fear of God in their heart, not now that people
throw explosives in places of worship.
“We must get back those time-honoured values
that shaped us for good so that we can live right.
This is what the National Honour in its truest
essence seeks to do. To identify and celebrate men
and women whose lives depict the very essence of
societal existence. Therefore, at all times, our
honourees must be sincere men and women who
point society in the right direction and mirror the
possibilities of greatness unlimited.”
He congratulated all the awardees and enjoined
them all to realise that the honours their country
bestowed on them was an additional responsibility
to continue to demonstrate the strength of character
that had brought them to the hall of fame. He
insisted that their lifestyles must be exemplary and
reflect those of truly honourable men or women.
“To all our country men and women, my challenge
to you is to strive to do the best in whatever
endeavour you are in, that would recommend you for
the recognition of your nation. It really does not
matter what you do”, he said.
Jonathan said: “Let me specially appreciate these
people, the taxi driver, Imeh Usuah, corporal
Solomon Dauda, presidential steward, Mr. Isaac
Michael Onuh. Those who take to criminality
because of poverty are not quite right because
myself and some of you here knew where we are
coming from. We passed through stress but we
didn’t take to criminality. For these gentlemen, we
appreciate you. FCT minister give one flat each to
the three of them.”
On the presidential steward, he said: “A very
dedicated steward who has served every head of
state loyally since President Shehu Shagari. From
Shagari till today, to have survived about nine
presidents and nine first ladies, you must be a great
man.”
On the reward to the national flag designer, he said:
“As someone who contributed so much to the
history of this country, the person who designed the
Nigerian flag, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, who was
also honoured here, you have to place him on a
salary of special assistant to the president forever.”
According to him, the Act empowered the president
to confer national honours on deserving Nigerians
and friends of Nigeria who have distinguished
themselves by their various contributions to the
peace, growth, development and well-being of the
country.
He noted that the annual award which was
suspended during the military rule was restored
following the restoration of democratic rule in the
country.
The highest honour for this year - Commander of
the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) went to Air
Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Lt-General Kenneth
Minimah, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, Air Marshal
Adesola Amosun, Acting Inspector General of Police
Suleiman Abbah, Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin,
Justice Chukwuma Eneh, National Security Adviser
(NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki ( rtd) and Alhaji Bukar
Goni Aj, immediate past Head of Civil Service of the
Federation, among others.
The President of the Court of Appeal, Zainab
Bulkachuwa (CFR) on behalf of the recipients, said
the honour would serve to ginger the awardees to do
more for the nation.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Anyim Pius Anyim, recalled that the annual awards
were instituted by the Order of Dignity Act of 1963.
The ceremony was, however, suspended during a
greater part of military rule in the country, and it
didn’t take place last year, thus making this year’s
event a combination of 2013 and 2014 award
ceremonies.
“That is why the Golden Eaglets who lifted the FIFA
Under-17 World Cup last year, have now been
formally honoured with Member of the Order of the
Niger (MON)”, Anyim explained.
The Chairman of the Honours Award Committee and
former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Alfa Belgore, said a
rigorous screening process was used to select
persons of honour and impeccable character
deserving of the awards.
A total of 4,737 persons have received all
categories of the national honours from 1963 to date,
disclosed Belgore as he declared that the number
(313) honoured for 2014 indicated the stability of
the polity.
Belgore noted that the recipients were carefully
selected for the award for the recognition of their
invaluable contributions towards the actualisation of
the success of the nation.
He said: “The scheme is designed as a catalyst for
development of the spirit of nationalism, selfless
service to humanity and as an instrument of reward
for those identified to have made meaningful
contributions towards the nation’s greatness and
achievement.
“The National Honours Award recipients emerged
through a very rigorous and painstaking selection by
a screening process which was carried out by the
National Honours Award committee set up by the
president.
“The process was carefully designed to ensure that
only credible individuals, men and women of
impeccable characters and those who have
contributed positively towards our continued efforts
at attaining greatness as a nation were being
considered for the prestigious National Honours
Award.”
He said since the inception of the scheme in 1963,
more than 4500 Nigerians and friends of Nigerians
had been honoured with a breakdown as follows: 15
persons have received the award of the Grand
Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic
( GCFR); 35 persons have so far been conferred with
the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger
( GCON); 283 persons have so far been conferred
with the Commander of the Federal Republic ( CFR)
and 508 persons have been awarded the Commander
of the Order of the Niger (CON).
He said 889 persons had been conferred with the
Officer of the Federal Republic ( OFR) award; 1,218
have been conferred with the Officer of the Order of
the Niger ( OON); 871 persons have been conferred
with the Member of the Federal Republic award,
while 708 persons have received the Member of the
Order of the Niger ( MON); 140 persons got the
Federal Republic Merit ( FRM)1 and 72 persons have
received the Federal Republic Medal ( FRM) 11.
In attendance were Senate President, David Mark,
Ike Ekweremadu, Emeka Ihedioha, Alooma Mukhtar,
Adamu Muazu, Tony Anenih, governors, ministers,
and family members of awardees.
presidential aide for life
• Maiden Alex-Ibru dedicates award to her late
husband, staff, readers
FOR their diligence, dedication to duty and honesty,
four Nigerians received double honours at
yesterday’s conferment of national awards on
distinguished Nigerians and foreigners.
The event was part of the activities for the 54th
independence anniversary.
The special awardees included Mr. Imeh Usuah, the
taxi driver, who in 2007 returned N18 million left in
his cab by a foreigner who hired him from the
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja; Mr.
Onuh Isaac Michael, the Chief Steward of the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, who served nine Presidents
and Heads of State right from the Second Republic,
Corporal Solomon Dauda, a traffic warden stationed
at a strategic location in the Federal Capital Territory
and Mr. Taiwo Akinkunmi, the 77-year-old designer
of the national flag.
The Publisher of The Guardian, Lady Maiden Alex-
Ibru, who received the MFR alongside others, said
that the award would inspire her to attain greater
heights. She dedicated the award to her late
husband, the staff of The Guardian and the reading
public.
She said she received the award with mixed
feelings, noting, “whatever your president decides to
offer you, you must accept it graciously, so I’m
actually thankful. This is the first time I’m attending
even as a guest.”
Mrs. Alex-Ibru said she was not expecting the
award, disclosing that she was at a meeting when
her son received a text message congratulating him
on this award.
She said the event meant that there was hope for
Nigeria, noting that “all we need to do is to put our
house in order because the country is such a
blessed country, with human resources, natural
resources. But you can’t do these things if there is
no stability, no peace, if the country doesn’t feel
secure and the threat we are experiencing is not
coming from outside, it is coming from within and
so it is really quite bad. And I just hope that God
will intervene very soon so that the country can
continue to enjoy some peace and we can all get on
with the business of the day.”
On her advice for other Nigerians, she said:
“Everybody should try to put in their best in
whatever they do.” Citing the case of the taxi driver,
the publisher said he returned the money seven
years ago, “but you can see that honesty pays. It
has been not just an honour but also he is going
home with a three-bedroom flat and I’m genuinely
happy for him.”
Besides the various categories of national awards,
the three recipients got three-bedroom flats in the
FCT, while Akinkunmi is to receive the salary of a
special assistant to the president for life.
Akinkunmi was awarded the Officer of the Order of
the Federal Republic (OFR); Usuah got the Member
of the Order of Federal Republic ( MFR); while Onuh
and Dauda received the Member of the Order of the
Niger ( MON).
The president directed the Minister of the FCT, Bala
Mohammed, to immediately make available the
houses to the trio whom he specially called to the
podium. The president further directed the Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius
Anyim, to place septuagenarian Akinkunmi on a
lifetime salary of a special assistant to the president.
The two other beneficiaries of the house largesse
were Usuah and Dauda. Dauda was recognised for
his exceptional dedication to duty at his post in
Abuja.
Jonathan expressed the hope that the recognition
accorded all the recipients would inspire other
Nigerians to rededicate themselves to rendering
services to the country and humanity.
He underscored the essence of the awards,
pointing out that “no great nation toys with honours
that constitute its national code of ethics.” The
president said a national honour must never be seen
as a piece of paper or garland that could be obtained
by persons of questionable character.
He therefore urged Nigerians to actively participate
in the nomination process whenever it is advertised
in the media, and noted that the broader spectrum
exhibited in this year’s award was an indication of a
wide search conducted by the Honours Committee.
Jonathan lamented that much of society had lost
respect for noble professions and vocations, adding
that there was a time when people feared to tread
near places of worship whereas religious houses had
now become targets of bombings and vandalism.
“A nation is void and soulless if she does not have
those sacred values it holds dear and individuals
who project them. It is in such men and women that
you find the authentic inheritance of the generations
and their nurturing. That is why a nation is poor that
is not rich in people who carry noble values that are
transferred from generation to generation.
“No great nation will toy with honours that
constitute her trans-generational character code.
This was why I insisted last year that our national
honour must never be seen as a piece of paper or
garland round the neck which individuals not worthy
of honour can pick up and continue to project wrong
values that diminish our heritage.
“I also directed the National Honours Committee to
always cast their net wide to ensure that all strata of
our society where honourable Nigerians are excelling
should be brought into the honours’ fold.”
The president urged all Nigerians to participate in
the selection of those they thought deserved the
awards, saying that was the only way Nigerians
could claim the ownership of the exercise even as
he urged Nigerians in all their professional callings
to strive to give their best, saying recognition could
come through such efforts.
The president recalled that in the past, honesty and
dedication were prominent virtues, saying the
decadence the country was experiencing was as a
result of the loss of these virtues.
He said: “I believe one of the reasons why our
society is not at ease is because we have neglected
our ennobling traditional value system. There was a
time in our country that when you were honoured
with traditional or religious titles in any community,
you were deemed to personify the highest ethos of
that community.
“It was a period when a teacher was the hallmark of
the most honourable values in a settlement. The
bank manager in any community was a man of high
probity in whose care people trusted their money and
were rest assured.
“It was a period when people kept quiet and walked
gently when they approached a place of worship for
the fear of God in their heart, not now that people
throw explosives in places of worship.
“We must get back those time-honoured values
that shaped us for good so that we can live right.
This is what the National Honour in its truest
essence seeks to do. To identify and celebrate men
and women whose lives depict the very essence of
societal existence. Therefore, at all times, our
honourees must be sincere men and women who
point society in the right direction and mirror the
possibilities of greatness unlimited.”
He congratulated all the awardees and enjoined
them all to realise that the honours their country
bestowed on them was an additional responsibility
to continue to demonstrate the strength of character
that had brought them to the hall of fame. He
insisted that their lifestyles must be exemplary and
reflect those of truly honourable men or women.
“To all our country men and women, my challenge
to you is to strive to do the best in whatever
endeavour you are in, that would recommend you for
the recognition of your nation. It really does not
matter what you do”, he said.
Jonathan said: “Let me specially appreciate these
people, the taxi driver, Imeh Usuah, corporal
Solomon Dauda, presidential steward, Mr. Isaac
Michael Onuh. Those who take to criminality
because of poverty are not quite right because
myself and some of you here knew where we are
coming from. We passed through stress but we
didn’t take to criminality. For these gentlemen, we
appreciate you. FCT minister give one flat each to
the three of them.”
On the presidential steward, he said: “A very
dedicated steward who has served every head of
state loyally since President Shehu Shagari. From
Shagari till today, to have survived about nine
presidents and nine first ladies, you must be a great
man.”
On the reward to the national flag designer, he said:
“As someone who contributed so much to the
history of this country, the person who designed the
Nigerian flag, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, who was
also honoured here, you have to place him on a
salary of special assistant to the president forever.”
According to him, the Act empowered the president
to confer national honours on deserving Nigerians
and friends of Nigeria who have distinguished
themselves by their various contributions to the
peace, growth, development and well-being of the
country.
He noted that the annual award which was
suspended during the military rule was restored
following the restoration of democratic rule in the
country.
The highest honour for this year - Commander of
the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) went to Air
Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Lt-General Kenneth
Minimah, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, Air Marshal
Adesola Amosun, Acting Inspector General of Police
Suleiman Abbah, Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin,
Justice Chukwuma Eneh, National Security Adviser
(NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki ( rtd) and Alhaji Bukar
Goni Aj, immediate past Head of Civil Service of the
Federation, among others.
The President of the Court of Appeal, Zainab
Bulkachuwa (CFR) on behalf of the recipients, said
the honour would serve to ginger the awardees to do
more for the nation.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Anyim Pius Anyim, recalled that the annual awards
were instituted by the Order of Dignity Act of 1963.
The ceremony was, however, suspended during a
greater part of military rule in the country, and it
didn’t take place last year, thus making this year’s
event a combination of 2013 and 2014 award
ceremonies.
“That is why the Golden Eaglets who lifted the FIFA
Under-17 World Cup last year, have now been
formally honoured with Member of the Order of the
Niger (MON)”, Anyim explained.
The Chairman of the Honours Award Committee and
former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Alfa Belgore, said a
rigorous screening process was used to select
persons of honour and impeccable character
deserving of the awards.
A total of 4,737 persons have received all
categories of the national honours from 1963 to date,
disclosed Belgore as he declared that the number
(313) honoured for 2014 indicated the stability of
the polity.
Belgore noted that the recipients were carefully
selected for the award for the recognition of their
invaluable contributions towards the actualisation of
the success of the nation.
He said: “The scheme is designed as a catalyst for
development of the spirit of nationalism, selfless
service to humanity and as an instrument of reward
for those identified to have made meaningful
contributions towards the nation’s greatness and
achievement.
“The National Honours Award recipients emerged
through a very rigorous and painstaking selection by
a screening process which was carried out by the
National Honours Award committee set up by the
president.
“The process was carefully designed to ensure that
only credible individuals, men and women of
impeccable characters and those who have
contributed positively towards our continued efforts
at attaining greatness as a nation were being
considered for the prestigious National Honours
Award.”
He said since the inception of the scheme in 1963,
more than 4500 Nigerians and friends of Nigerians
had been honoured with a breakdown as follows: 15
persons have received the award of the Grand
Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic
( GCFR); 35 persons have so far been conferred with
the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger
( GCON); 283 persons have so far been conferred
with the Commander of the Federal Republic ( CFR)
and 508 persons have been awarded the Commander
of the Order of the Niger (CON).
He said 889 persons had been conferred with the
Officer of the Federal Republic ( OFR) award; 1,218
have been conferred with the Officer of the Order of
the Niger ( OON); 871 persons have been conferred
with the Member of the Federal Republic award,
while 708 persons have received the Member of the
Order of the Niger ( MON); 140 persons got the
Federal Republic Merit ( FRM)1 and 72 persons have
received the Federal Republic Medal ( FRM) 11.
In attendance were Senate President, David Mark,
Ike Ekweremadu, Emeka Ihedioha, Alooma Mukhtar,
Adamu Muazu, Tony Anenih, governors, ministers,
and family members of awardees.
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