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Jonathan salutes Nigerian
National
Merit Award Winners:His full speech
Newsdiaryonline Thur Dec 1,2011
President Goodluck Jonathan
It
is my pleasure to address you this morning on this very
important occasion of the conferment of the Nigerian National
Order of Merit (NNOM) Award for last year 2010 and this year
2011.
The
two-year combined award is being conferred on five distinguished
Nigerians who have been adjudged worthy of the Honour by the
Governing Board of the Nigerian National Merit Award. The NNOM
Award is the highest and most prestigious Award bestowed by our
dear Nation on its citizens, at home and in the Diaspora, for
creative, intellectual and academic contributions that have
national as well as global significance.
On
behalf of the Nation, I am very proud to welcome the new
Laureates to the prestigious league of highly honoured citizens.
I also want to assure you that we will continue to celebrate and
hold up your achievement as a shining example worthy of
emulation by our up-coming young men and women.
It
is humbling to note that since the Nigerian National Merit Award
(NNMA) was established 32 years ago, the addition of these five
recipients will only bring the total number of recipients to a
mere 65. This is a clear evidence of the high standards of the
Award and an undeniable testimony of the strict adherence to
quality and the merit-driven evaluation procedure for selecting
laureates.
It
also underscores the high expectations of the Nation that the
new recipients of the Award, like their predecessors, shall
continue to hold the banners of creativity and intellectual
excellence very, very high.
Please endeavour, at all times, to serve as beacons of
hope and aspiration for the younger generation of Nigerians,
reminding them that our survival and collective future as a
nation ultimately rests on our being active participants in
global developmental efforts, especially in science and
technology.
Let
me congratulate the five distinguished recipients of the
Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) Award for years 2010 and
2011. I must also express our appreciation for the patience of
the 2010 Award winners, who had to wait one long year to receive
their Award today.
On behalf of the Federal Government and indeed the entire
Nation, I congratulate you all very heartily.
I salute the two recipients for 2010:
PROFESSOR ANDREW JONATHAN NOK: (SCIENCE), a
researcher of repute, who is being honoured most significantly
for his works on Trypanosoma congolense.
PROFESSOR ISIDORE O. OKPEWHO: (HUMANITIES),
an outstanding Scholar of Comparative Literature, reputed among
the first to establish the fact that both Epic and Myth exist in
African Literature.
Our
three recipients for the year 2011 are no less distinguished.
They are:
PROFESSOR EBIEGBERI J. ALAGOA:
(HUMANITIES), a
prolific writer, historian, diligent teacher and experienced
archivist whose intellectual writings cover not only Nigeria,
but also Egypt and the rest of North Africa.
PROFESSOR FRANCIS S. IDACHABA: (SOCIAL
SCIENCES), a Professor of Agricultural Economics and an
acclaimed researcher in the areas of Policy Advocacy for
societal impacts.
MR. IBOK EFFIONG ETUKUDO:
(ENGINEERING/TECHNOLOGY), a brilliant and creative scholar and
developer of Micro/Nanno devices.
By
your achievements, you have all done Nigeria proud and it is my
hope that you will continue to be a source of inspiration to the
rest of us at Home and the world at large.
I wish to seize this opportunity to
congratulate your families, friends, associates and
well-wishers, who have come to share with you the joy of today’s
milestone achievement. I enjoin all our youths to emulate your
good works by dedicating themselves to excellence and strive to
contribute their quota to the arduous task of getting Nigeria on
the top bracket of outstanding nations.
I
wish to congratulate members of the Governing Board of the
Nigerian National Merit Award under the able Chairmanship of
Professor Oluwafeyisola Sylvester Adegoke, as well as members of
the Board’s four specialized Committees of Assessors and
External Assessors for their integrity and transparency, and for
the excellent work they have done.
The
noble idea of constituting the Assessors Committees, whose
membership is not disclosed to the public, ensures credibility
that could be emulated by other Government Agencies performing
similar functions.
The fact that transparency and love for the Nation have been the
hallmark of your stewardship is well borne out by the fact that
the NNOM Award is one of the enduring national legacies that are
held in high regard globally and nationally and your decisions
have been well acclaimed and controversy-free over the years.
Let
me assure you that the Government and Peoples of Nigeria
appreciate your efforts and I enjoin you all to keep up the good
work. I want to re-assure you that my government will study the
recommendations contained in the Communiqué of the 4th Annual
Forum of NNOM Laureates 2011, and will continue to support your
innovative approach to the re-establishment of the nation’s
research and development capability.
I
am aware that the Governing Board has been doing its best to
secure funds for the Endowment Fund of the NNMA through various
contributions.
I commend your initiative and enjoin all
the Sectors of the Nigerian economy to join forces with the
Federal government to support the NNMA Endowment Fund.
We are indeed keen on the speedy take-off of the Fund.
My
Administration is aware that the Committee for the Actualization
of the Nigerian National Research and Development Fund, set up
in December 2008 under the able leadership of the Chairman, NNMA
Governing Board, Prof. O. S. Adegoke completed its task and
submitted its report to the SGF in 2008.
I have directed that the White Paper, which is being
prepared by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation
(SGF), be brought before the Federal Executive Council as soon
as possible.
I
personally attach great importance to Research and Development
(R & D) as I am convinced that no nation can prosper without
them. We will continue to support potentially ground-breaking
work going on in our Tertiary and specialized Research
Institutions. We will also continue to push for collaboration
between the private and public sectors to boost cross-sectorial
research undertakings.
I
also wish to note that the proposed NNMA Policy Group, a
Research and Development outfit that is being promoted by the
Governing Board to serve as a “Think Tank of Government”, is yet
to be formally approved and inaugurated. The group, whose
resource base will include NNOM Laureates, Fellows of the five
Nigerian National Academies, as well as the Post-Graduate
Medical College of Nigeria and other key researchers, would be
given all the necessary support and encouragement to function.
I
wish to reassure you that this Administration is fully committed
to giving the recognition that the NNMA deserves, by
immortalizing its recipients who have taken this country to
greater heights both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora. We are a
nation keen on fostering excellence across board and we will
continue to celebrate those who have attained measurable levels
of excellence in their professional life.
I
thank you all and wish you God’s abundant blessings in all your
endeavours.
Being The Full Text Of Address By His Excellency, President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Gcfr, At The Investiture For The
Conferment Of The Year 2010 & 2011 Nigeria National Order Of
Merit (Nnom) Award On Thurday, 1st December, 2011.
Th
This is the document referred to in the Witness
Statement on Oath of Clifford O. Kokogho as
“Exhibit
COK.2”
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