Article summary
- The surprise honours list includes some notable Nigerians, Governors, Ministers, captains of industry, Academia, Senators as well as those from the creative industry.
- The honours list has a total of 339 persons in the 2023 edition of the national awards.
- The list includes Godwin Emefiele, Emeka Anyaoku, Segun Osoba, Festus Keyamo, and others.
The outgoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday conferred national honours on a total of 339 persons in the 2023 edition of the national awards.
The surprise honours list includes some notable Nigerians, Governors, Ministers, captains of industry, Academia, Senators as well as those from the creative industry.
A former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, who is on the list, is the only person conferred with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Those listed for the award of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) are Godwin Emefiele, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation; Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun state; Olusegun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State and Mamman Daura, Buhari’s nephew and close confidant.
Some others on the list
Others are Herbert Wigwe, group chief executive officer, Access Holdings; late Mohammed Barkindo, former Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) secretary-general; and Chima Nweze, a supreme court judge, among others.
On the list are the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyema and other Ministers that served under President Buhari.
Terry Waya, a Nigerian businessman; Wale Edun, an economist and member of the presidential transition committee (PTC), Awele Elumelu, co-founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) and chairperson of Avon Medical Practice Limited, were among those listed for the award of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Some other prominent women who would receive national honours include Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President-elect Bola Tinubu; Owen Omogiafo, president of Transcorp Group; and Sharon Ikeazor, minister of state for Niger Delta Affairs.
Some of the personalities in the entertainment industry on the list include popular musician, Davido, International footballer, Victor Osimhen; and filmmaker Kunle Afolayan.