Group gives FG 14 -day ultimatum to withdraw National Honours from Teni, Burna Boy others

As ripples over the recent national honours award given to sone Nigerians are yet to settle, a group under the aegis of Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vises Initiative, CAACASVI, has petitioned the Federal Government, urging it to review some of the award on some personalities.

CAACASVI in a letter on Friday addressed to the Minister of Special Duties and Inter- Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume and copied to President Muhammadu Buhari, titled ‘Appraisal and Demand on 2022 National Honours Award’, said a rigorous review of the award should be carried out in line with extant rule governing the National Merit Award.

The letter signed by Comrade Olumuyiwa Onlede

Executive Director, CAACASVI, stated that the outcome of the review must lead to stripping off some of the awardees of their award.

Among those the group wants their award to be stripped off are Teni, Tuface Idibia, Burma Boy and Ezra Olubi.

It said the request is not targeted towards any one in particular but towards attitudes that do not portray them as deserving such award.

The letter read in part: “Honourable Minister sir, we hereby request that you initiate the process of this review within fourteen (14) days, in order to right the wrong and to serve as deterrent and corrective measure to any Nigeria that has the opportunity of meeting the president to know that what he represent is bigger that any one no matter their reservation”.

“This fight cannot be left unfought, therefore, if after the 14 days ultimatum nothing is done, we will explore all constitutional options including peaceful demonstration at you office to press home our demand.

“Your Excellency it is with greatest honour that we write this letter to you as the supervising minister overseeing the Nigerian National Merit Award, organisers of the national honours award.

“Sir, our observation about the just concluded award ceremony is as that of other patriotic Nigerians who believe in the country and the leadership capacity to move the nation to her promise land no matter the challenges being faced at the moment.

“Just like every other objective opinion leaders, you will agree with us that the different scenarios that played out during the award ceremony is a negative verdict on the organisers of the event, from selection of awardees to presentation.

“Less we forget, the National Merit award was instituted to recognise and honour deserving Nigerians for their outstanding feats in their various fields and endeavours that has turn around to bring repute to the name, image and integrity of the country be it at home or in the Diaspora.

“As such those to be considered for the award must be people with impeccable character over the years.

“In as much as we recognise the merit in most of the awardees, we are yet to come to term with how most awardees got their names into the list, for example one Ezra Olubi whose look from his lips and finger nails did not go down well with the President that presented him with the award, the President’s reaction was a testimony.

“We also believe the merit award should be for those that know the value, yet to our amazement most of the awardees merely sent representatives to receive the award on their behalf on flimsy excuses of having another engagement even when they must have been notified for a long time.”

Continuing, the group claimed, “This is an action that we believe shows how unpatriotic some of them can be and how easily they can insubordinate Nigeria for other things.

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“The question is, had the president delegated one of his aides to represent him at the event, what will be the reaction of opinion leaders and the pulse in the society.

“We cannot go on without referring to the saddest talking point of the event where Teni a musician and awardees utterly embarrassed the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces who painstakingly stood for over four hours to present the award to the recipients.

“Again, what instinct and what survey gave the organisers the conviction that Teni is on the merit side of receiving an award.

“The President’s look and reaction to her attitude speaks volume.

“Your Excellency sir, as a former chief executive of a state if you delegate a commissioner to organise an event like this in your state and it turns out the way of the 2022 merit award, what appraisal will you give to the commissioner.

“Sir, we like to let you know that the event did not go down well with patriotic Nigerians and as such the need to make the following demands to forestall future occurrence.”