The national honours award came into being by Act No.5 of 1964 and has since become a platform to celebrate Nigerians of impeccable character and outstanding contributions who have distinguished themselves in the advancement of their fatherland. Rather than material or monetised, the national award is an encouragement to Nigerians to continue to put in their best in every human endeavour.
For the 2022 national award, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed His Royal Highness the 17th Emir of Lafia and Chairman Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad jsc (retired) as Chairman, Standing Committee on National Honors. The appointment is an honour and proof that the royal father was and remains a corrupt-free judicial officer throughout his years of service in the temple of justice. It is equally a mark of honour for the people of Nasarawa state and recognition of the traditional institution in the country.
Justice Bage’s committee worked meritoriously and fished out 437 individuals who merited the awards. The committee might have faced pressure in identifying worthy Nigerians for the awards, such lobby in high places wouldn’t have seen the light of the day considering the integrity of the committee members and its chairman, a respected legal luminary and traditional ruler.
According to Calvin Coolidge, “No person was ever honoured for what he received. Honour has been the reward for what he gave”. These individuals have given their modest contribution to nation building.
His Royal Highness Justice Muhammad Sidi Bage and Amusan Tobi, world athletics champion in the recently held Commonwealth Games, made the list of the 2022 merit awards. For the monarch, it is double honour to be appointed chairman of the 2022 National Merit awards and also be recognised for Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, award.
Other illustrious sons of Nasarawa state who received various awards include former Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Abubakar Adamu, (CFR), Emir of Keffi, HRH. Shehu Chindo Yamusa (CON), Emir of Nasarawa, Ibrahim Usman Jibrin (CON) and Comptroller General of Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corp, Ahmed Abubakar Audi (OFR). Anthony Ngube Zaki Sani – (CON), Ambassador Musa Ilu Mohammed (OON), Sarkin Gudi, Alhaji Sule Bawa (MFR), Ibrahim Okposhi (MON).
The royal father’s worthy contributions to the development of our fatherland has been notice and rewarded. This is indeed a reward for outstanding service during his stay in the judiciary up to the apex court of the land and the quality leadership he is offering as the 17th Emir of Lafia. He is a leader who speaks with clear conscience, over the years the royal father has been outstanding in his utterances as a leader in a responsible position of authority.
In 2018 when the Northern Senatorial zone lobbied for the governorship seat, the royal father in a voice of reasoning, fair play and justice said, ’’every zone in the state has the right at any given time to produce a governor that would govern the state because it was a collective struggle to have a state called Nasarawa’’.
To attest his leadership prowess when he toured chiefdoms within his domain, at Barkin Abdullahi (B.A.D) the royal father said “one of the reasons for this tour is to see how we can ensure greater peaceful co-existence among the people of this land at large. Since our coming to the throne, which is about two years now, by the grace of God, we have enjoyed peace because since our coming in there has not been any moment of crisis anywhere within the domain. This is not our making but the will of God Almighty. Anyone who listened to the speech I delivered when the then governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura gave us the mantle of leadership, I said we shall endeavour to bring our people together. By the will of God all of us in this land are brothers and sisters of one another People often forget that, even this gathering we are having now, it is impossible to say this is someone’s father or mother who is not related to that person or the other. If a father hails from here you would find the mother hails from there. God does not make a mistake when He makes people from different lineages coming together to form a family. This is to tell us about relatedness or affinity. I said at the occasion that we all in this domain must see and relate with ourselves as brothers and sisters. Therefore, we must live together as one. God has not make a mistake by putting us together in this place, this is the destiny He has set for us’’.
Yes this is the way leaders should speak with clear conscience.
It is also time to remember patriots like Mr. Detimbir Chia, a 13-year-old boy from Mbakunu village in Kwande local government area of Benue state who saved the lives of five military officers while 13 others died when the Do-228 Aircraft that was carrying them crashed on top of Benue mountains on their way to Obudu Cattle Ranch for a military retreat on September 17, 2006. His Royal Highness the Ohinoyi of Gegu-Mbeki- Nyiwo in Koton-Karfe local government area of Kogi state, Alhaji Muhammed Abba Alhassan who saved his subjects during a communal clash.
Time to remember Imam Abdullahi Abubakar, a Muslim who on June 23, 2018 saved the lives of many Christians during one of the Jos crises. A time to also remember the Berom Christian elders who saved their Muslim neighbours in the crises and Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh who in an effort to preserve the lives of Nigerians contracted Ebola and died.
A recall of the 2014 national award is four “ordinary Nigerians” were honoured among the big names. In its editorial of 6-12 October, 2014, Nigerian Newsday wrote, ‘’It was a double honor for the 78- year old Micheal Akinkunmi, the designer of the Nigerian flag as former President Goodluck Jonathan conferred on him Officer of the Federal Republic, OFR and appointed him his special assistant for life.
Also honoured was a long serving presidential steward, a Charismatic traffic warden and a taxi driver, Umeh Usuah, the 66-year old who returned 18 million naira forgotten in his car to the owner.
Honouring such patriotic Nigerians translates them to national heroes and a fulfillment of part of our National Anthem “the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain’’. The 2022 national merit award like the previous ones is an impetus for Nigerians to always put in their best in service for humanity.
Tukura writes from Lafia, Nasarawa state
