Tinubu celebrates Okonjo-Iweala, Nigerian scientists on Biden’s honours list
CHIGOZIE AMADI
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday congratulated six distinguished Diaspora Nigerians named by US President Joe Biden among the 400 recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in the United States.
This was as the President congratulated the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr Fola Adeola, and the Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Mr Kola Adesina, on the well-deserved conferment of honorary doctorates by the University of Lagos.
Tinubu conveyed his congratulations in separate statements signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In the statement titled ‘President Tinubu congratulates Nigerian Scientists, Engineers on making President Biden’s honours list,’ the President congratulated the recognised Nigerian engineers and scientists.
They are Azeez Butali, who is a Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa; Ijeoma Opara, an Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Yale School of Public Health, Yale University; and Oluwatomi Akindele, a Postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Others are Eno Ebong, an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology at Northeastern University; Oluwasanmi Koyejo, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University; and Abidemi Ajiboye, the Executive Vice Chair of the Case School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University.
He noted that the prestigious recognition, established by former President Bill Clinton in 1996, is the highest honour bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers.
This year’s awardees, announced by President Joe Biden on January 14, 2025, are employed or funded by 14 participating United States government agencies.
“President Tinubu commends these trailblazing Nigerians for their remarkable achievements in science, technology and engineering.
“The Nigerian leader notes that recognising these exceptional talents underscores Nigerians’ vast potential to excel both at home and on the global stage,” the statement read.
The President looks forward to the honorees sharing their multidisciplinary expertise to benefit Nigeria’s development efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Onanuga stated.
Similarly, President Bola Tinubu congratulated Okonjo-Iweala, Adeola and Adesina, on their conferrment with honorary doctoral degrees by UNILAG.
The university recognised Dr Okonjo-Iweala for her trailblasing as the first African woman to lead the World Trade Organisation and for introducing significant reforms in Nigeria’s financial sector.
It honoured Adeola for his pioneering role in the Nigerian banking sector and for founding the FATE Foundation, an NGO mentoring young Nigerian entrepreneurs through training and loans.
Adesina, an alumnus of the university, was recognised for his innovative contributions to the energy industry.
Adesina is the Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, an energy and infrastructure organisation with operations in 42 countries.
The three distinguished Nigerians were awarded a Doctor of Science honorary degree by the University at its 55th convocation on January 16.
“President Tinubu deeply admires these exceptional Nigerians who have excelled in their careers and are role models for the nation’s youth,” the statement read.
In one of the congratulatory letters, the President praised Mr Adesina for his significant contributions to Nigeria’s energy sector, highlighting this recognition as a reflection of his commitment to advancing national development.
