By ROTIMI IJIKANMI
ABUJA- Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has congratulated the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on the conferment of the Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) award on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a letter dated Oct. 10, 2022, Sanwo-Olu said the national award conferred on Mohammed was in recognition of his distinguished record of service to Lagos State, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the country at large
A copy of the letter was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday by Mr Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistant to the President (Media), Office of the Minister of Information and Culture.
“We remember and salute the very important role you played in the historic journey of the APC to the presidency as well as your work as pioneer Chief of Staff to the Governor of Lagos State at the start of the Fourth Republic.
“You helped to lay the critical foundation for the transformation that successive administrations have since built upon.
“At the federal level you have the distinction of being one of the longest serving federal ministers in the history of our country
“Your achievements in information management and the promotion of Nigeria’s arts, culture and tourism on the world stage are undeniable
“The latest recognition of a CON is a worthy and timely one which you should see as a call to even greater service to Nigeria and to Africa,” the letter read in part.
The governor, on behalf of the government and people of Lagos state, felicitated with the minister on the honour and wished him greater heights in his life inspiring journey.
NAN reports that Buhari on Tuesday conferred awards on Mohammed and 449 others at the International Conference Center, Abuja.
The minister was represented at the event by his wife, Kudirat, and daughter Aisha, who received the award on his behalf.
Mohammed, at the time of the ceremony, was in Washington DC to receive the 23 Benin Bronzes repatriated by the United States to Nigeria.
The 23 Benin Bronzes were part of the thousands of artifacts that were looted by the British during their invasion of Benin Kingdom in 1897.
According to the National Honours Award Investiture 2022 Programme, 450 recipients were awarded, making the total number of Nigeria’s national honours awardees 5,341 since 1963.
Of the 450 recipients, six were awarded Grand Commanders of the Order of the Niger, 55 were Commanders of the Order of the Federal Republic, 74 were Members of the Order of the Federal Republic while 77 were Officers of the Order of the Federal Republic.
Others were 110 Officers of the Order of the Niger, 55 Members of the Order of the Niger, 65 Commanders of the Order of the Niger, four Federal Republic Medal- First Class and Four Federal Republic Medal- Second Class.(NAN)
