By Cross Udo, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday conferred the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) Award for the years 2020 and 2021 on three Nigerians.

The beneficiaries include Oluyinka Olurotimi Olutoye, late Prof Charles Ejike Chidume, and Prof Godwin Ekhaguere, for distinguishing themselves in the field of medicine and science.

Chidume for Science (2020), Olutoye was honoured for Medicine (2020); and Ekhaguere for Science (2021).

Olutoye is credited to have led a team that performed ground-breaking surgical procedures on foetuses before they are born.

In 2016, in a feat that has been hailed as the first by an African, he performed a surgical procedure on a foetus with sacrococcygeal teratoma, which is a tumour that develops before birth and grows from a baby’s tailbone.

Chidume was the Acting President of the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja before his demise on October 7, 2021.

The works of the globally renowned Professor of Mathematics encompass several fields including Nonlinear Functional Analysis, Nonlinear Operator Theory and Differential Equations, Nonlinear Optimisation.

Ekhaguere is a professor of Mathematical Physics. He created and pioneered the theory of Quantum Stochastic Differential Inclusion (QSDIs) that has greatly improved the entire Science Community’s understanding of those pathological quantum systems whose governing equation involves discontinuous coefficient.

Buhari conferred the award on them during a ceremony at the presidential villa, Abuja, expressing the belief that Nigeria’s collective future rests on active participation in science and technology.

The President said he was very proud to welcome the new Laureates to the prestigious league of highly honoured citizens.

He said the nation would continue to celebrate and trumpet the scholars’ achievements as a shining example worthy of emulation by the upcoming young men and women in the country.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted the President as saying, “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.”

The President noted that since the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) was established 43 years ago, the addition of the three recipients would bring the total number of recipients to only 79, confirming the high standards of the Award and undeniable testimony of the strict adherence to quality and the merit-driven evaluation procedure for selecting laureates.

He added that the integrity of the Award also underscores the high expectations of the nation that the new recipients, like their predecessors, would continue to hold the banners of creativity and intellectual excellence very high.

While congratulating the three awardees, the President expressed the government’s appreciation for the patience of the 2020 award winners, who had to wait close to two years to receive their Award due to the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020.

The president recounted that the total lockdown of the country, in 2020, made it difficult for the assessment process to hold then but was later held concurrently last year alongside the 2021 applications.

Recognising families, friends, associates, and well-wishers, who were present at the Council Chambers in State House to share the joy of the awardees, the President enjoined youths in the country to emulate the good works of the laureates 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.”

On the request of the Chairman of the Governing Board over the dwindling budgetary allocation to the Agency and how it is constraining the agency in carrying out its mandatory functions, President Buhari promised that the Federal Government would provide special intervention as was done in the year 2020 to the NNMA, within limited resources available.

Senate approves six new law campuses across geo-political zones

Acknowledging the focal place that NNMA occupies and the calibre of all laureates produced by the Agency, the President assured that the Federal Government would do everything possible to maintain and sustain the Agency.

The President further said, “I wish to reassure you that this Administration is fully committed to giving the NNMA the recognition that it 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 the board and we will continue to celebrate those who have attained measurable levels of excellence in their professional life.”

The Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Sen. George Akume said the three intellectuals emerged winners for the 2020 and 2021 Award after the selection process, from the over 1,200 applications received by the NNOM Governing Board during the period under consideration.

Akume called on Nigerian universities to rise to the challenge and continue to lead in innovative research targeted at providing solutions to the myriad of problems affecting the country, especially post COVID-19 era.

In his remarks, the Chairman NNMA Governing Board, Prof Aku announced that recipients of the prestigious award bestowed by Nigeria on its citizens for creative, intellectual, and academic contributions that are of national and global importance receive a cash reward of N10 million each.

The recipients of the award are divided into four areas- Medicine, Science, Engineering and Technology, and the Humanities, including Education and Culture, Prof Aku said.