For long hours up until 1am this morning, October 11, President Muhammadu Buhari was still personally signing award certificates for close to 500 Nigerians and foreigners who he decorated today with national honours in Abuja.

Authoritative sources hinted Quest Times that although the President had approved an initial list of Nigerians to be honoured, the list had to be increased at the last minute.

In fact in his speech, President Buhari urged many other deserving Nigerians who were not named for the awards this time to be patient, adding that their time would soon come.

It was also learnt that the President had to stay awake all night yesterday up till 1am today, personally signing the certificates that go with the awards most of which also came with medals and epaulettes.

For 7 years, the President had refused to confer the national honours because he is of the view that previous conferment may have been bastardised.

The only exception was in 2018 when the highest national honours–Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, was posthumously conferred on the late Chief M.K.O Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 elections.

At the time, both Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe were also honoured with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON–all in relation to the June 12 saga.

Today’s recipients were awarded with the following:

GCON–Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger
CON–Commander of the Order of the Niger
CFR–Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic
MFR–Member of the Order of the Federal Republic
OFR–Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic
MON–Member of the Order of the Niger
OON–Officer of the Order of the Niger