Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has honoured 162 distinguished Nigerians for their inspirational achievements, impactful life and contributions to the progress of the state in particular and the nation in general.
\nAmong those honoured are eight state governors, nine former governors of other states, lawyers and others who have demonstrated high level of loyalty to the nation, excellence in public service, commitment to equity, equality and justice in the country and love for the Government and the people of Rivers State.
\nWike presented the awards to the awardees during the State Honours and Awards ceremony 2022 which held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt, last Saturday night.
\nThe awards were in four categories, namely: the Grand Service star of Rivers State (GSSRS), the Distinguished Service State of Rivers State (DSSRS), the Governor\u2019s Medal of Service (GMS), and the Rivers State Merit Award (RSMA).
\nThose conferred with Rivers\u2019 most prestigious award, the Grand Service Star of Rivers State (GSSRS) are governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), and David Umahi (Ebonyi).
\nOthers include former governors, Olabode George, Jonah Jang, Donald Duke, Ayodele Fayose, Ibrahim Idris, Olusegun Mimiko, Theodore Orji, Dr Ibrahim Dankwanbo, and Adams Oshiomhole.
\nAround 110 distinguished personalities were also conferred with the Distinguished Service State of Rivers State (DSSRS).
\nThey include wives of the governors of Rivers and Oyo, Hon. Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, and Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde; wife of former governor of Cross River State, Mrs. Onari Donald-Duke, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
\nRivers State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Simeon Amadi; Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN; Senator Olaka Nwogu; Sir Siminialayi Fubara; Prof. Ngozi Ordu; Chief Dan Orbih; King Dandeson Douglas Jaja; Prof. Jerry Gana; Emmauel Ukala, SAN; Chief Nnaemeka Ngige, SAN; Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN; and Dr Emi Membere-Otaji, among others.
\nSimilarly, 33 personalities were presented with the Governor\u2019s Medal of Service (GMS), and two others, Mr. Oruwuru Pere Shedrack, and Mrs. Patience Nwogu, with the Rivers State Merit Award (RSMA).
\nOthers include Coach of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma; and other coaches including Fatai Oscho; Ndubisi Nduk; Joseph Buma; Okey Inwenya; and players and officials of 2021\/2022 Nigeria Professional Football League Champions Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt.
\nPatience is a junior school teacher who was honoured for \u201cher enviable sense of sacrifice, discipline, and honest devotion to work\u201d.
\nIn his remarks, Wike, who explained that the state honours and awards were solely the initiative of former governor, Dr. Peter Odili, remarked that everyone bestowed with an award, last Saturday night, had distinguished themselves by their good character, personal achievements and positive contributions to society.
\nThe governor stated that the eight governors and former governors honoured by the state were selected from different political parties because of their love for the growth and development of Rivers State.
\nHe said: \u201cI want to say to all of you that, Ortom, Seyi, Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Fintiri (you are not with us, you are with your uncle), in terms of principle, these young men are the people you can trust any day any time.
\n\u201cBala Mohammed is a G-1, on his own, one man riot squad. But you can trust him. Fintiri, is my friend, he is our friend. It doesn\u2019t matter the differences. He wants his brother to be president. But we still keep our relationship, and that is the way it is supposed to be.
\n\u201cI fought Umahi to the last. He never slept. But I don\u2019t know how God is trying to help him. Most of you remember I was the one who fought Oshiomhole. Sorry that I fought you. Until you got information you have never had before, Oshio Baba sorry. But I did it for the interest of my party.\u201d
\nThe governor said the Honours Advisory Committee had nominated an array of Senior Advocates of Nigeria who have been at the forefront of Rivers State numerous legal battles with the Federal Government and other states.
\nHe said their professional services, sacrifice and contributions were central to the state government successes in the various courts and the consequential economic benefits Rivers people now enjoy.
\nThe governor said he would refrain from naming the lawyers and commending them publicly because similar gesture extended to President Muhammadu Buhari had elicited unwarranted acrimony in the Niger Delta.
\nHe said: \u201cHuman beings instead of them to say I appreciate you, they become envious. Because I say Buhari thank you, I am having problems today. That is the country we are in. I am not a fan of Buhari.
\n\u201cWhen a man has done well say he has done well in this area. If he has not done well you say so. I have no apologies to anybody. If Buhari did not release the money from 1999 which my party did not even release, I wouldn\u2019t have been doing what I am doing. I say it and I don\u2019t give a damn to anybody. I don\u2019t care.
\n\u201cI got the money; I am not a fan of Buhari. He has not done well in many areas, but this one he has done well. My party members may not be happy. But they should not be angry, because this one, he did well.
\n\u201cHe gave me money and I used the money to do something for people in Rivers State. This money was there. Nobody paid us. I hear somebody saying that his three kilometre road would do my 15 flyovers. No problem. Do the three kilometres first. Tell Nigerians you are doing three kilometres.\u201d
\nThe governor said he has advised governors of Ebonyi and Kogi states not to waste their money in supporting any governorship candidate in the state, because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will win all elective positions in the 2023 general election.
\n\u201cIn my state, we know who is going to be our successor. I want to advise you, if you\u2019re spending money on anybody stop. Here we have a successor. It is not by my power, but it is by what we have done in this state. It\u2019s not that I want to impose a successor. It is not true.\u201d
\nWike advised opposition political parties, especially the All Progressives Congress (APC), to avoid wasting money for electioneering in the state, saying that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the only party to beat in next year\u2019s general election.
\nHe said, \u201cAs a lawyer, you must make money, but here, don\u2019t worry yourself; nobody would win here,\u201d urging opposition parties not to waste their resources campaigning in the state as they had nothing to show the electorate.
\nThe governor specifically passed the message to APC chieftains present at the event, which include the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN; Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, and his Kogi State counterpart, Yahaya Bello, who were part of the awardees.
\n\u201cI told David Umahi, Governor of Kogi, and Abubakar Malami, when they came to visit me: Don\u2019t put money here, it won\u2019t work; it is a \u2018no-go area\u2019,\u201d Wike boasted.
\nAccording to the Rivers State governor, his government already has a successor, and his choice was based on the good works of his administration.
\n\u201cIn my state, we know who is going to be my successor. I want to advise you, if you are spending money on anybody, stop!
\n\u201cHere, we have a successor. It is not by my power but by what we have done in this state. It is not that I want to impose a successor. It is not true. Bring a successor and tell people why you want to bring a successor,\u201d Wike said.
\nExplaining the rationale for honouring some of the awardees, Wike said, Ibrahim Idris was honoured for his genuine commitment to the development of Kogi State and the entire country.
\n\u201cFor two consecutive times, we have invited the two-term Kogi Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris to commission two development projects in Rivers State, one was in March, and the other was in August, 2022.
\n\u201cWe hold him in high esteem, and consider him as a worthy ambassador of Rivers State.
\n\u201cAs a stakeholder for Rivers State project, we will not hesitate both now and in the nearest future, to continue to eat into his good time for the continuous development of the state.\u201d
\nThe Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said governor Wike has demonstrated that he is a true patriot and nationalist by honouring Nigerians from the six geopolitical zones, irrespective of their religious and political persuasion.
\n\u201cToday, in Nigeria as we match towards 2023, we are not looking at political parties, we are not looking at ethnicity, but we are looking at how we can salvage our country, Nigeria, and make it greater than where we are today. I thank you (Wike) for charting this course, and I believe that moving forward from here, that all of us who are here tonight will be a catalyst to how we can make Nigeria greater, economically, politically, socially, security wise, we will make it greater.\u201d
\nSimilarly, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, said Wike has taken governance to the next level.
\n\u201cYou have indeed demonstrated what it takes to be accommodative, what it takes to be a bridge builder, a builder of bridges across the Niger. You have established a bridge, we are happy crossing over to come around for the purpose of identifying with you in the expression of excellence attributed to the service of the nation, Rivers State.\u201d
\nResponding to the Rivers State honour, Idris described the event as epoch-making, considering the all-round development Governor Nyesom Wike has put in place in the state.
\nHe expressed delight for being part of the success story of the state, advising other governors to strive to leave a good mark on the sands of time.
\nChairman of the Rivers State Honours Advisory Committee, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, said the law empowers the governor to confer honour on those who have contributed to the growth and development of the state.
\nThis is the second edition of the conferment of state honours.
\nThe first, still by Governor Nyesom Wike, was held in 2017 to climax the celebration of the state\u2019s Golden Jubilee.
\nAt that time, 127 distinguished persons who served the state meritoriously in different fields of human endeavour were honoured.
\nSome of the awardees were honoured post-humously for their outstanding contributions to the growth of Rivers State at different times.<\/p>\n
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Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has honoured 162 distinguished Nigerians for their inspirational achievements, impactful life and contributions to the progress of the state in particular and the nation in general. Among those honoured are eight state governors, nine former governors of other states, lawyers and others who have demonstrated high level of loyalty […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":309742,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[688],"class_list":["post-309734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-front-pix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=309734"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309734\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":309745,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309734\/revisions\/309745"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/309742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=309734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=309734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=309734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}