PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, conferred various national awards on 355 Nigerians and foreigners who have distinguished themselves in service to their community,

taking time to specifically defend government’s decision to  honour business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, with the nation’s second highest award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).

Speaking at the ceremony which took place at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, Jonathan responded on criticisms of the manner recipients had been selected, saying in particular that Dangote got his honour because of his enterprise and provision of jobs to thousands of Nigerians.

“You can see today that we have recognised Aliko Dangote with the highest on the GCON series because we must recognise enterprise. This is a man who has been able to employ thousands of Nigerians as we heard it from the citation,” he said.

“If Aliko did not have that business acumen to build that empire, probably, we wouldn’t have had somebody to employ thousands of Nigerians.  So, those who by their innate abilities and creative energies have been able to make impact in our society even deserve more honour than those of us holding political offices. So, we would continue to encourage enterprise, creativity and Nigerians who have excelled in whatever form,” he explained.

Jonathan, who told the audience that he was aware of the criticisms trailing the process, said he had directed the relevant agencies to take note and ensure improvements in future exercise so that it would continue to serve the purpose it was meant for.

According to him, “national honours are not merely decorative; they remind us of an important part of our responsibilities as citizens. We must always endeavour to do the best for our country. Even as we realise with deep humility that all human beings are fallible, we must look forward with confidence and hope that our country, through each and every one of us, can indeed put its God-given endowments to the best possible use.

“Let me re-emphasise how some of the people were selected, because there are comments from very young people who are a bit confused about how people are selected for national honours. As I have mentioned, even the most celebrated Nobel Peace Prize is being criticised. So, definitely you will expect criticisms.

“But in Nigeria you have three awards: two are parallel, and we gave two today, the GCFR and GCON series and, of course, the Nigerian National Merit Award. The Nigerian National Merit award is meant for scholars and not just scholars but scholars with distinction and the committee [members] that will select those who will receive the award [chosen] among the eggheads.

“The president plays almost no role in selecting who wins the merit award, because that is for academic division. The president plays the ceremonial position of just decorating or presenting the award to those scholars.

“But the National Honours criteria are different. It is based on what an individual has contributed to his community, his state, his country and how you have projected this country outside. It does not depend on how many certificates you have; it does not depend even on the size of the certificate you have and it does not even depend on the status you have in the society and I need to mention that,” he said.

To buttress his assertion, the president remarked that even the common man was entitled to national award as long as he distinguished himself in the service of his community.

He said: “The traditional birth attendant that probably works in area where there is no doctor and successfully delivers hundreds of babies can be awarded and recognised by the president. So is a sportsman, who is illiterate, but a good footballer, wrestler or a boxer and projects the image of this country globally and wins laurels and brings us to limelight could be recognised in this honours series.

“Also, in the case of the military, an officer, a corporal or even a private soldier, could be given a medal that probably a colonel or general might not have for show of gallantry.

“So, the position you occupy does not give an automatic award except for some positions like the GCFR, which is given to anybody who becomes the president of this country or the GCON, given to anybody who becomes the vice-president or the head of the National Assembly or the head of the judiciary.

“These are given by virtue of their positions, but others are given by virtue of what you have contributed to the society; not necessarily because of the office you hold,” he declared.

Jonathan stated that people who deliberately worked against their community or the nation could not be expected to be considered for national honours.

“Do you use that office to destroy us or do you use it for the development of your domain? So also is a youth leader, a woman leader or an elder. Do you use that position to bring development and peace to your people at your community level, local government level, state level and the national level or use it to bring crisis or destruction to our people?” Jonathan asked.

The 355 awards conferred on Monday brought the number of such awardees to 3,924 since the exercise began in 1963.

A breakdown of the latest awards showed that one person got GCON, 65 Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON); 38 Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR); 74 Officer of the Order Federal Republic (OFR); 69 Member of the Officer of the Order Federal Republic (MFR); 71 Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON); 28 Member of the Order of the Niger (MON); two First Class Federal Republic Medal and three Second Class Federal Republic Medal.

In his welcome address, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said the 2010 edition of the national honours could not take place because of preparations for the 2011 general election and was therefore joined with the 2011 edition.

Apart from Dangote, other prominent awardees were the Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; governors of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Edo, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Rivers and Jigawa states, Godswill Akpabio, Peter Obi, Liyel Imoke, Adams Oshiom-hole, Patrick Yakowa, Mua’zu Babangida, Rotimi Amaechi and Sule Lamido respectively.

There were also Service Chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Oluseyi Petinrin; Chief of Air Staff, Muhammed Dikko Umar; Chief of Naval Staff, Saad Ibrahim; Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika; traditional rulers, including King Theophilus Jacob Tom Princewill, the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom and the Okere of Saki, Oba Kelani Olatoyese Larinre.


http://nigerianbulletin.com/2011/11/15/jonathan-defends-gcon-award-to-dangote-daily-trust/

Award of shame

smh, So he shares GCON with Sambo

NAIN REASON:
GEJ: alhaji Dangote, can u help me talk 2 d BH, dey are disorganising me, I cant think straight
Dan: Ok, wat will u giv me
G: anything, just mention it
D: I want your seat
G: ah, u no I cant do dat, dont send me on exile
D: i want 2 av GCFR 2 my name
G: pls manage GCON, at least Sambo n d likes are just fortunate
D: ok, but title first
G: no problem

wat a statement!
“If Aliko did not have that business acumen to build that empire, probably, WE WOULDNT HAVE HAD SOMEDAY to employ thousands of Nigerians."

May be he's telling us Dangote Cement will be his running mate come 2015

Award for the highest bidder. What a shame!

In that case i should equally be awarded GCON and not OON, because i employed thousands of Nigeria.

he shld hv just adjusted d constituition and award him GCFR instead.

folks let's not criticise for the sake of it, GEJ deserves some credit on this one. It takes balls of steel to say that enterprenures deserve higher awards than politician, he'd just set a precedence that is comendable.

How come non of the NYSC members that died during the election was honoured? stupid president.

folks let's not criticise for the sake of it, GEJ deserves some credit on this one. It takes balls of steel to say that enterprenures deserve higher awards than politician, he'd just set a precedence that is comendable.

Yes you are right but awarding GCON is just a step too far, so what do you give to the rest of the nations monopolistic pilferers who also employ thousands as well

what he's simply saying is Robin Hood action is a good way as long as you employ people, ehn

have they created a level playing field for others to thrive no,

now we are at the mercy of Dangote even for housing and what not when we all know that's not the way things should be.

The other day he promised the FG money to help 4 Housing why give the FG money if its not dodgy/pre arranged as its always bn in return for something

Nothing against Dangotes person, i just don't buy the idea of every government sucking up to him cos they created him indirectly and killed off SME's Small Medium Enterprise at the expense of him as a business entity thriving.

If that was his basis of selection, he should have also enlisted the likes of Otunba Mike Adenuga, Otedola, Jim Ovia, Innoson, Ibeto and etc., because they also employed thousands of Nigerians,

His argument is really weak.

GCON is for President and its Vice. why now for Dangote? that means something is wrong somewhere or is Dangote the next President?

Jona!!!

When real men and women reject their useless honor they will know that they are in mess, Ohhh,they honored themselves

polis007:

folks let's not criticise for the sake of it, GEJ deserves some credit on this one. It takes balls of steel to say that enterprenures deserve higher awards than politician, he'd just set a precedence that is comendable.

Okay, here goes. . . . . . Enterprenures deserve higher awards than politicians, CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!!! Hear that sound? Yeah, those are my steel balls clanking in my scrotum!!!

What utter , !!!

naija pikins, by the year 2012, we would belong to a few people becos they have bought us and all we have. how? we would work for them in all the so-called privatised/BPE sold offices. when they pay us salary, we would buy recharge cards printed by "their companies" so that we have credit to use in our fones owned by ''their gsm companies", then we go to "their supermarkets" and buy "their indomie, macaroni, spaghetti, salt, sugar, etc". we stop @ "their filling stations" to buy fuel and service our cars which we bought thru loans from "their banks". when we are blessed with a little money , we buy "their cement" to build house on a parcel of land owned by "their property agents" or we buy houses in "their estates" thru "their banks' mortgage, it goes on and on and on

More comments to follow! But dudes I pleaded with you to spare our president in the name of Bakare why always attacking him on several occasion? this will lead him to failure at least excuses should be granted on him in some cases, for the national awards next time the blunder shouldn’t be continual fresh and deserve dudes should be listed unlike the past one.

2nd highest award to someone that romanced wt govt to unfairly grant him a monopoly to every essential raw material,d very anti thesis of good corporate environment.
Any person dat encourages d likes of dangote wt his type of biz practice does not mean well for dis country.His monopoly has evn gone as far as national awards:now he is d only bizman gven d GCON.Av jst got my own summary of what d GEJ adm stands for& am disappointed bc I really thought he was d man;so much for false hopes

Jonathan is just an empty brain, the man no just understand wetin that "presidential position be", dem for just give am "ceremonialresponsibility"that way, we for understand all these party wey im dey throw

Most of the time somebody opens his mouth many people have to run for cover not because of the smell but the arrangement of words

polis007:

folks let's not criticise for the sake of it, GEJ deserves some credit on this one. It takes balls of steel to say that enterprenures deserve higher awards than politician, he'd just set a precedence that is comendable.

just listen to yourself

yunafa:

naija pikins, by the year 2012, we would belong to a few people becos they have bought us and all we have. how? we would work for them in all the so-called privatised/BPE sold offices. when they pay us salary, we would buy recharge cards printed by "their companies" so that we have credit to use in our fones owned by ''their gsm companies", then we go to "their supermarkets" and buy "their indomie, macaroni, spaghetti, salt, sugar, etc". we stop @ "their filling stations" to buy fuel and service our cars which we bought thru loans from "their banks". when we are blessed with a little money , we buy "their cement" to build house on a parcel of land owned by "their property agents" or we buy houses in "their estates" thru "their banks' mortgage, it goes on and on and on

my guy you don reach. You too much jö!

slimshay:

Okay, here goes. . . . . . Enterprenures deserve higher awards than politicians, CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!!! Hear that sound? Yeah, those are my steel balls clanking in my scrotum!!!

What utter ,  !!!

guy relax! I dey read the sound i no dey hear am. And wetin the steel balls now? U be terminator?

The worst among them is Afiz Ringim, IGP, awarded for what?
Is it for general insecurity or inability to checkmate boko haram.
GEJ should resign.

Im sorry ohh, but FASHOLA HAS DONE WAY BETTER THAN SOME PPLS NAME ON THAT LIST

@ Beaf i knw u wnt say anytin abt ur retarded GEJ if na Tinubu thread, u go don post more than 10 tymes.

I know he is foolish but to this extent nawa o
finally GCON they very xpensive o, so na only dangote fit purchase am. The man try o

GEJ is a big source of sorrow. His statements, actions and inaction send signals of sheer ineptitude. What a pity!

GCON- Grand crook of the order of the Niger

OON- Ole of the order of the Niger

MFR- Member of the officer of the Federal Rogues

OFR- Officer of the Federal Rogues

GCFR- Grand Commader of the Federal Rogues (Goofluck Jonathan)

They clearly  deserve the awards