Golden jubilee awards: Chukwumerije faults exclusion of Okpara, Orizu, Obi
Published on 08 October 2010 with 3 comments
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MALACHY UZENDU,
Deputy News Editor, Abuja




MEMBER of the National Assembly from Abia State, Senator Uche Chukwumerije has joined notable Nigerians who have faulted the mode of selection of 50 Distinguished Nigerians for Golden Jubilee Awards by the federal government, saying it was wrong not to have included some notable Igbo personalities.
Chukwumerije who did not hide his feelings, noted that it was not only unsatisfactory but also an insult to the intelligence of the people of Nigeria and Ndigbo in particular, not to have included them in such award.
Senator Chukwumerije noted that �in an exercise of that magnitude that excluded notable Igbo leaders who played major historic roles in Nigeria such as the Premier of the defunct Eastern region, Dr. M.I. Okpara, Nigerian�s first Senate President and Acting President who was in-charge of the nation when the first military coup of 1966 took place, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, as well as the celebrated mathematician, Prof. Chike Obi among others could only be said to be unacceptable�.
In a letter entitled: �Distinguished Nigerians/Friends of Nigeria Golden Jubilee Special Presidential Awards�, the senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, insisted that the criteria for the selection of the awardees �were not explicitly stated and published�.
Wondering how the criteria for the selection were reached, the senator asked �is it pioneer status in the sense of the first to emerge since 1960 in a given field? Or the critical impact of an individual�s endeavour on the development of a given sector? Or class or school-mate categorization of founders of the nation? Or academic/intellectual eminence? Or eminence of office of an occupant?�
According to him, �none or a combination of these criteria explains the inclusion of certain individuals or the exclusion of some others. Why, for instance, was Michael Okpara omitted while all other Premiers were included? Or why was Prof. Chike Obi, our pioneer Mathematician internationally celebrated by academic peers, omitted? Or Dr. Nwafor Orizu, the first Senate President of The First Republic and Acting President on several occasions were omitted?
Senator Chukwumerije stressed that �it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the criteria, whatever they are, were subordinated to the ever-overriding factor of federal character�, which he maintained was most unfortunate.
According to him, �this limiting factor was naturally compounded by other congenital Nigeria factors � the same factors that have reduced our National Honours Awards list to a comedy script.�

How can anyone talk of honoring national figures without the first senate president, the first premier of Eastern Nigeria and the first person to earn a PhD in mathematics?

Gej missed it big time. At least the first Phd holder in maths deserves a honour if the first olympic medalist got same

Foolish article without a source. Why not ask why Jonathan didn't dole out 150 million awards to each and every Nigeria? Tribalistic rubbish.

Jonathan didnt include ALOT of worthy people from the West and from the SS either. no biggie

I think folks like this re just pulling to find something where theres nothing.

What was the criteria of including somebody like Oba Adesoji Aderemi (late Oni of Ife, not even Oni of the entire Yorubaland) whose national contribution I cannot remember compared to Chike Obi? Why would the premiers of the West and North be honored and not that of the east? I just used Aderemi as an example, as there are a dozen or so others who were honored without any obvious contribution to national development, missing out important people in their place.

Jonathan has shot himself in the foot severally and severely that
he is now on a wheel chair(leg-less)

ferari90:

Jonathan has shot himself in the foot severally and severely that
he is now on a wheel chair(leg-less)

lol, you seem insatiable to me.
Anyways, Democracy gives every man a right to be his own oppressor.

He definitely shot himself in the foot with this one.

Dr. Michael Okpara, a personal hero of mine should have been considered one of the 50 Distinguished Nigerians. He improved not only Igboland, but the East in general. His improvements helped Igbos, Ijaws, Idoma, Igala, Ogoni, Ibibios and so and so on.

GEJ is suppose to be from the East and not include him? This is the highest form of insult.

And what about Professor Chike Obi and Dr. Nwafor Orizu. No one who took part in coups should have been placed on that list.

Goodluck is just slapping the Igbo face left and right with his insults.

I am extremely upset over Dr. Michael Okpara who hails from my home state.

people should shut up. He gave you guys a big post and is that not enough? at least he try for ndigbo.

Those omissions were huge as well as Akanu Ibiam , Ajayi Crowther, Mary slessor, Lord lugard, etc but I think Chukwumerije was right when he observed that Federal character was the culprit. he did not blame Jonathan after all he did not do  the choosing but could have done a better vetting job. However  a list of 50 men   cannot capture all worthy Nigerians to be included and so such omissions should not make GEJ lose Igbo votes. However the foreigners in that list could have been included as an addendum to make room for more worthy Nigerians.

houvest:

Those omissions were huge as well as Akanu Ibiam , Ajayi Crowther, Mary slessor, Lord lugard, etc but I think Chukwumerije was right when he observed that Federal character was the culprit. he did not blame Jonathan after all he did not do  the choosing but could have done a better vetting job. However  a list of 50 men   cannot capture all worthy Nigerians to be included and so such omissions should not make GEJ lose Igbo votes. However the foreigners in that list could have been included as an addendum to make room for more worthy Nigerians.

You cannot honor the premier of North and West and leave out that of the East. That one is unforgivable.

Akin-Egba:


Senator Chukwumerije stressed that �i[size=16pt]t is difficult to escape the conclusion that the criteria, whatever they are, were subordinated to the ever-overriding factor of federal character[/size]�, which he maintained was most unfortunate.
According to him, �this limiting factor was naturally compounded by other congenital Nigeria factors �[size=16pt] the same factors that have reduced our National Honours Awards list to a comedy script.[/size]�

I couldn't have put it better.
Isn't it ironic that the rest of Nigerians are comfortable with FEDERAL CHARACTER, but some of them oppose zoning?
What type of hypocrisy is that?

I saw people like Tafawa Balewa (who thought that Nigeria was a comic script) on that list.  

For anyone to not include Michael I. Okpara on that list is really insulting to the Igbo and ALL easterners (though some of these former easterners will  keep denying that Okpara improved their areas). Jonathan acted true to his beliefs here. Quite unfortunate.

Well, life goes on.  

Comingo:

people should shut up. He gave you guys a big post and is that not enough? at least he try for ndigbo.

How about you shut up! You think some small post, will satisfy the Ndigbo? We want it all!

Onlytruth:

I couldn't have put it better.
Isn't it ironic that the rest of Nigerians are comfortable with FEDERAL CHARACTER, but some of them oppose zoning?
What type of hypocrisy is that?

I saw people like Tafawa Balewa (who thought that Nigeria was a comic script) on that list.  

For anyone to not include Michael I. Okpara on that list is really insulting to the Igbo and ALL easterners (though some of these former easterners will  keep denying that Okpara improved their areas). Jonathan acted true to his beliefs here. Quite unfortunate.

Well, life goes on.  

I doubt jonathan was the amongst the organizers of the list. Also he may not be too in tune with nigerian history as we might expect him to be. It's feasible to believe that the ones responsible for the failure of placing of M.I. Okpara on the list is the people of the Old Northern and Western Regions. I say this because during the reign of those premiers all were killed during the dubbed "igbo coup" except M.I. Okpara. The omitting of is name was mere political revenge.

chyz:

I doubt jonathan was the amongst the organizers of the list. Also he may not be too in tune with nigerian history as we might expect him to be. It's feasible to believe that the ones responsible for the failure of placing of M.I. Okpara on the list is the people of the Old Northern and Western Regions. I say this because during the reign of those premiers all were killed during the dubbed "igbo coup" except M.I. Okpara. The omitting of is name was mere political revenge.

Shame on some Ibos here. You mean Jonathan was too young to know who Okpara was? You mean he did not see the final list of honorees?

Akin-Egba:

Shame on some Ibos here. You mean Jonathan was too young to know who Okpara was? You mean he did not see the final list of honorees?

I'm simply saying only a fool wouldn't know who M.I. Okpara was and shouldn't be president if he didnt. Also, if he wasnt allowed to see the list, he is a weak president. I'm not supporting him on that act at all.Don't get me wrong.

chyz:

I'm simply saying only a fool wouldn't know who M.I. Okpara was and should be president if he didnt. Also, if he wasnt allowed to see the list, he is a weak president. I'm not supporting him on that act at all.Don't get me wrong.

I see your points. Still unfortunate.

ferari90:

Jonathan has shot himself in the foot severally and severely that
he is now on a wheel chair(leg-less)

lol!

MaziUche0:

How about you shut up! You think some small post, will satisfy the Ndigbo? We want it all!

WHY I thought Nigeria was for all of us.

AND WHAT MAKE YOU GUYS THINK THAT GEJ SAT ALL NIGHT PUTTING TOGETHER ALL THOSE NAMES.
i think after compilation, he only approved.


, but i think i should be on that list too,, every Nigerian deserved to be included in the fifty name list.

oiseworld:

AND WHAT MAKE YOU GUYS THINK THAT GEJ SAT ALL NIGHT PUTTING TOGETHER ALL THOSE NAMES.
i think after compilation, he only approved.


, but i think i should be on that list too,, every Nigerian deserved to be included in the fifty name list.

Thank you m broda! Imagine GEJ excluding a prestigious suya meat seller like me, given my numerous contributions to the . . .em. . . growth of our GDP.

Faeb:

Foolish article without a source. Why not ask why Jonathan didn't dole out 150 million awards to each and every Nigeria? Tribalistic rubbish.

http://www.champion.com.ng/displaycontent.asp?pid=1078

Golden jubilee awards: Chukwumerije faults exclusion of Okpara, Orizu, Obi
Published on 08 October 2010 with 3 comments
[Post a Comment]

MALACHY UZENDU,
Deputy News Editor, Abuja


MEMBER of the National Assembly from Abia State, Senator Uche Chukwumerije has joined notable Nigerians who have faulted the mode of selection of 50 Distinguished Nigerians for Golden Jubilee Awards by the federal government, saying it was wrong not to have included some notable Igbo personalities.
Chukwumerije who did not hide his feelings, noted that it was not only unsatisfactory but also an insult to the intelligence of the people of Nigeria and Ndigbo in particular, not to have included them in such award.
Senator Chukwumerije noted that �in an exercise of that magnitude that excluded notable Igbo leaders who played major historic roles in Nigeria such as the Premier of the defunct Eastern region, Dr. M.I. Okpara, Nigerian�s first Senate President and Acting President who was in-charge of the nation when the first military coup of 1966 took place, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, as well as the celebrated mathematician, Prof. Chike Obi among others could only be said to be unacceptable�.
In a letter entitled: �Distinguished Nigerians/Friends of Nigeria Golden Jubilee Special Presidential Awards�, the senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, insisted that the criteria for the selection of the awardees �were not explicitly stated and published�.
Wondering how the criteria for the selection were reached, the senator asked �is it pioneer status in the sense of the first to emerge since 1960 in a given field? Or the critical impact of an individual�s endeavour on the development of a given sector? Or class or school-mate categorization of founders of the nation? Or academic/intellectual eminence? Or eminence of office of an occupant?�
According to him, �none or a combination of these criteria explains the inclusion of certain individuals or the exclusion of some others. Why, for instance, was Michael Okpara omitted while all other Premiers were included? Or why was Prof. Chike Obi, our pioneer Mathematician internationally celebrated by academic peers, omitted? Or Dr. Nwafor Orizu, the first Senate President of The First Republic and Acting President on several occasions were omitted?
Senator Chukwumerije stressed that �it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the criteria, whatever they are, were subordinated to the ever-overriding factor of federal character�, which he maintained was most unfortunate.
According to him, �this limiting factor was naturally compounded by other congenital Nigeria factors � the same factors that have reduced our National Honours Awards list to a comedy script.�

a more reliable source than thewillnigeria, not so?