President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday conferred different categories of national honours on 313 persons who are believed to have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour.
The President also used the opportunity to direct that the designer of the country’s national flag, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, be placed on the salary of a Special Assistant to the President for life in addition to a national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic.
Akinkunmi was a 23-year-old student studying at Norwich Technical College in England when he saw an advertisement in a newspaper that entries were being accepted for the design of a new National flag. In 1959 Akinkunmi’s design was chosen as the winner and was first officially used on October 1, 1960, Nigeria’s Independence day.
However, Akinkunmi had over time been financially challenged and had majorly lived on gestures from friends and groups.
Also among those honoured on Monday at the International Conference Centre, Abuja were a taxi driver, Mr. Imeh Usuah; a traffic warden, Cpl. Solomon Dauda; and a steward, Mr. Onuh Isaac. They each got house gift in the Federal Capital Territory from the President in addition to their Member of the Order of the Niger national awards.
So far, the total number of honourees since its inception in 1963, has bow risen to 4,737.
While 25 individuals were conferred with the national honour of the Commander of the Order of Federal Republic, 60 persons were honoured with Commander of the Order of Niger, 54 got the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic; 63 received the Officer of the Order of the Niger; 53 were presented with Member of the Order of the Niger; and 56 got Member of the Order of the Niger.
Also, one recipient each got the Federal Republic Medal (First Class) and Federal Republic Medal (Second Class) respectively
