Queen Elizabeth II of England and 99 other Nigerians and foreigners are among those to be specially honoured by President Goodluck Jonathan as part of the activities to commemorate Nigeria’s Centenary celebration.
Prominent on the list are the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential elections, late Chief M.K.O Abiola; Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; first President, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe; first Premier of the defunct Western Region, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and the first Premier of the former Northern Region, the late Sir Ahmadu Bello
Also to be honoured are the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; the late music maestro, Fela Anikulapo Kuti; Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and business mogul, Otunba Mike Adenuga.
The Presidential Committee on the Centenary Celebrations said last night that the awards would be bestowed on the recipients on Friday, February 28 at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, State House, Abuja.
Below is the full list of the recipients and the categories to which they belong.
A. CONTRIBUTORS TO THE MAKING OF NIGERIA
1. Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II
2. Frederick John Dealtry Lugard
3. Dame Flora Louise Shaw, Lady Lugard
B. HEROES OF THE STRUGGLE FOR NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE/PIONEER POLITICAL LEADERS
4. Herbert Samuel Heelas Macaulay
5. Rt. Hon. Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe, GCFR
6. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, KBE
7. Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, GCFR
8. Sir Ahmadu Bello, KBE
9. Professor Eyo Ita
10. Jaja Anucha Wachuku
11. Pa Michael Imoudu
12. Chief Anthony Enahoro
13. Chief Joseph Sarwan Tarka
14. Mallam Aminu Kano
15. Margaret Udo Ekpo
16. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
17. Hajiya Gambo Sawaba
C.PIONEERS IN PROFES-SIONAL CALLINGS/CAREERS
18. Christopher Sapara Williams
19. Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams, SAN
20. Chief Akintola Williams
21. Major-General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi
22. Vice Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey
23. Brigadier General George Tamunoiyowunam Kurubo
24. Louis Orok Edet
25. Major-General Abdullahi Mohammed
26. Professor Thomas Adeoye Lambo
27. Professor Kenneth Onwuka Dike
28. Capt. Chinyere Kalu
29. Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Oviemo Ovadje
30. Professor Grace Alele-Williams
D. PIONEERS IN COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
31. Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu
32. Alhaji Alhassan Dantata
33. Chief Adeola Odutola
E. PROMOTERS OF DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN NIGERIA
34. Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR
35. Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
36. General Shehu Musa Yar’adua, GCON
37. General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar, GCFR
F. HEROES IN GLOBAL SPORTS COMPETITIONS
38. Madam Chioma Ajunwa
39. Nwankwo Kanu
40. Richard Ihetu (Dick Tiger)
41. Chief Michael Okpala (Power Mike), MON
42. Monday Ochuko Emoghawve
G. ACCOMPLISHED PIONEER PUBLIC SERVANTS
43. Chief Stanley Olabode Wey
44. Justice Egbert Udo Udoma
45. Chief Emeka Anyaoku
46. Sir Adetokunbo Adegboyega Ademola
47. Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias
48. Dr. Rilwan Lukman
49. Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki
50. Alhaji Aliyu Mai Bornu
H. ACCOMPLISHED CONTEMPORARY ENTREPRENEURS
51. Alhaji Aliko Mohammed Dangote
52. Chief Mike Adenuga
53. Chief (Dr.) Innocent Chukwuma
I. DISTINGUISHED ACADEMICS
54. Professor Benjamin Oluwakayode Osuntokun
55. Professor Kelsey Harrison
56. Professor Chike Obi
57. Professor Dagogo Fubara
58. Professor Jacob Festus Ade-Ajayi
59. Professor Claude Ake
60. Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa
61. Professor Godwin Olu Patrick Obasi
62. Professor Umaru Shehu
J. INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ARTISTS, LITERARY ICONS AND JOURNALISTS
63. Michael Taiwo Akinkumi
64. Professor Wole Soyinka
65. Professor Chinua Achebe
66. Prof John Pepper Clark
67. Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi
68. Alhaji Abubakar Imam
69. Daniel O. Fagunwa
70. Ernest Sesei Ikoli
71. Alhaji Ismail Babatunde Jose
72. Kenneth Nnebue
73. Patience Ozokwor
74. Alhaji (Dr) Mamman Shata Katsina
75. Hubert Adedeji Ogunde
76. Fela Anikulapo Kuti
77. Stephen Osita Osadebe
78. (Dr.) Ladi Dosei Kwali
79. Ben Enwonwu
80. Oludotun Jacobs
K. OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC SERVANTS
81. Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule
82. Professor Akinlawon Ladipo Mabogunje, NNOM
83. Dr. Barnabas Sanyaolu Oloruntoba, OFR
84. Honourable Justice Maryam Aloma Mukhtar, GCON
L. OUTSTANDING BRAVERY AND PUBLIC SPIRITEDNESS
85. Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN
86. Michael Chukwugekwu Ihuka
M. OUTSTANDING PROMOTERS OF UNITY, PATRIOTISM AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
87. General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR
88. General Murtala Ramat Mohammed
89. General Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo, GCFR
90. General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
91. General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR
92. Chief Ernest Shonekan, GCFR
93. General Sani Abacha, GCFR
94. Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua, GCFR
95. General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, GCON, fss
N. EXEMPLARY SERVICE IN THE PROMOTION OF PEACE AND MORAL EXCELLENCE
96. Sir Abubakar Sadiq III
97. Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi
98. Blessed Cyprian Michael Tansi
99. Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye
100. Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi
It is absurd to note that General Aguiyi Ironsi is not there as a promoters of National Unity and the name of General Theophilus Danjuma who killed Ironsi is listed. Our leaders should stop amusing Nigerians and be serious people once.
Interesting someone who said over his dead body will a Christian become President of Nigeria is listed as one of those who provided “exemplary service in the promotion of peace and moral excellence” What peace did he expect to come out of such comment?
WHERE IS THE NAME OF CAPTAIN BENJAMIN ADEKUNLE THAT LED THE NIGERIAN ARMY (THIRD MARINE COMMANDO) THAT WON THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR ON THE LIST OF THOSE THAT PROMOTE UNITY, PATRIOTISM? HOW DOES ABACHA’S NAME FIND ITS WAY TO THAT LIST?. THESE LISTS ARE RUBBISH!