1st October, 2024
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
President Bola Tinubu has conferred prestigious national awards on Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The announcement was made during his Independence Day broadcast on Tuesday.
Tinubu said in recognition of their contributions to the nation, Akpabio and Justice Kekere-Ekun, were awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), one of the country’s highest honours.
He added that the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas, were honoured with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR).
Tinubu said the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, received the title of Commander of the Order of Niger (CON).
He said: “As we work to overcome the challenges of the day, we remain mindful of the next generation as we seek to galvanize their creative energy towards a better future. We lead today with the future we wish to bequeath to our children in focus, recognizing that we cannot design a future that belongs to them without making them its architects.
“Considering this, I am pleased to announce the gathering of a National Youth Conference. This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people, who constitute more than 60 per cent of our population. It will provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to participate actively in nation-building. By ensuring that their voices are heard in shaping the policies that impact their lives, we are creating a pathway for a brighter tomorrow.”
