First, I wish to congratulate Mr Ayodele Dada for his academic milestone of which many have tried and many have fallen so he should keep his head held high even though he is not to first and certainly won’t be the last.
I stumbled upon a writeup few days ago on how the writer says that Mr Dada deserves a national honour/award and his reason was obvious; The 5.0gpa.
And I became so confused because I thought the honour was given to those who have rendered service(s) to the benefit of the nation and after a research, I concluded that the writer alongside many others are ignorant of what the National Honour truly stands for…………
Nigerian National Honours are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria every year. They were instituted by the National Honors Act No. 5 of 1964, during the First Nigerian Republic , to honour Nigerians who have rendered service to the benefit of the nation. The Nigerian National Honours, in descending order of importance, are:
*Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal
Republic (GCFR)
*Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger
(GCON)
*Commander of the Order of the Federal
Republic (CFR)
*Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON)
*Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic
(OFR)
*Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)
*Member of the Order of the Federal Republic
(MFR)
*Member of the Order of the Niger (MON)
The GCFR and GCON are customarily respectively bestowed on former occupants of the office of President of Nigeria and Vice President of Nigeria including former military heads of state of Nigeria and Chiefs of General Staff. The GCON is also customarily bestowed on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Nigerian Senate during their first year in office, while the CON is customarily bestowed on Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (culled from Wikipedia)
Now, what does Mr Dada deserve?
Still the national honour or an applaud from the education lovers
His achievement is a benefit to himself and not the nation.
What did he do for his final year project?
Does it contribute to nation building?
Did he invent any mathematical theory?
There are many 2nd class, 3rd and many that didn’t even attempt jamb but are contributing towards building the nation through the creation of job opportunities.
He should go out and prove himself and not become a burden on the nation just because of a degree that is not recognised in developed countries.
He has tried and I commend him but after school, life begins……… I wish him success
Bello Wahab O.