Highlights Of The National Honours

• President Goodluck Jonathan announced the placement of the designer of the national flag, Pa Michael Akinkunmi on a salary of a Special Assistant to the President for life. in addition to his national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic.

• Six other governors that were listed for the CON awards – Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Governor Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Governor Theodore Orji (Abia); Governor Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Governor Jonah Jang (Plateau) and Governor Sullivan Chime (Enugu) – were present.

• President announced house gifts for a taxi driver, Mr. Imeh Usuah; a traffic warden, Solomon Dauda; and a steward, Mr. Onuh Isaac. in addition to their national awards of Member of the Order of the Niger. While Usuah was honoured for returning N18m which an expatriate forgot in his car, Dauda was rewarded for the skillful and dedicated way he had been controlling traffic in the FCT. Isaac, who is the Head of the presidential stewards, was honoured for serving successive heads of government meritoriously since the regime of former President Shehu Shagari.

• Monday’s event brought to 4,737, the total number of the national honours so far conferred on individuals since its inception in 1963.

• Twenty-five individuals were conferred with the national honour of the Commander of the Order of Federal Republic; 60 persons were honoured with Commander of the Order of Niger; 54 got the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic; 63 received the Officer of the Order of the Niger.

• Fifty three were presented with OFR and 56 got MON.

• One recipient got the Federal Republic Medal (First Class) and another had the Federal Republic Medal (Second Class).