In a significant address in Abuja, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, expressed concerns about the Federal Government’s tradition of awarding national honours mainly to politicians. Speaking at the launch of “The Chronicles of a Legend,” the biography celebrating business magnate and philanthropist Gabriel Igbinedion, Obi called for a reassessment of how these prestigious decorations are distributed.
Obi asserted, “The Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, and Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, should be for entrepreneurs and productive people, not politicians.”
He continued, “We have to change the way we honour people.”
While highlighting Igbinedion’s accomplishments in aviation, education, and preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage, the former Anambra State Governor stressed that achievers like Igbinedion deserve national recognition. He remarked, “We live in a country where we celebrate people who are supposed not to be celebrated. If we did, the celebration we are giving him today would have been more.”
Emphasizing Igbinedion’s impact on employment, Obi noted, “If we had been a country that was productive, over 20 million Nigerians would have been employed because Igbinedion employed over 17,000 Nigerians.”
His remarks come as public debate intensifies following the conferral of national honours, cash, and housing gifts on the Super Falcons after their African Cup of Nations victory. Many have called for similar recognition of contributors to sectors such as education, health, and security.
Earlier in July, President Bola Tinubu presented national awards to a number of Nigerians, living and deceased, for their developmental roles—a move that has spurred mixed reactions nationwide.
Okay.ng reports.
