A former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, was among 339 persons in the 2023 edition of the national awards released Sunday by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was the only person on the list conferred with the second highest national honour, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
The long honours list includes some notable Nigerians, Governors, Ministers, captains of industry, Academia, Senators as well as those from the creative industry.
Those listed for the award of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) are Godwin Emefiele, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation; Chief Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun state; Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State and Mamman Daura, Buhari’s nephew and close confidant.
Some others on the list
are Herbert Wigwe, group chief executive officer, Access Holdings Plc; late Mohammed Barkindo, former Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) secretary-general; and Chima Nweze, a Supreme Court justice, among others.
Also on the list are the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo SAN; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyema and other Ministers that served under President Buhari.
Terry Waya, a prominet Nigerian businessman; Wale Edun, an economist and member of the presidential transition committee (PTC), Dr. Mrs. Awele Elumelu, co-founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) and chairperson of Avon Medical Practice Limited,
and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi
were among those listed for the award of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Some other prominent women who would receive national honours include Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President-elect Bola Tinubu; Owen Omogiafo, president of Transcorp Group; and Sharon Ikeazor, minister of state for Niger Delta Affairs. Minister of Sports, Chief Sunday Dare bagged CON.
Some of the notable personalities in the entertainment industry on the list include popular musician, David Adeleke (Davido), International footballer, Victor Osimhen; and filmmaker Kunle Afolayan.
Media gurus who made the list are Sen. Babafemi Ojudu (CON),
Malam Garba Shehu (OON), Mr. Laolu Akande (OON), Mr. Victor Ifijeh (OON), Mr. Bayo Onanuga (OON), Mr. Dele Alake (OON), Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi (MON) and Mr. Sunday Aghaeze (MON).
