In the course of his address before the National Assembly on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu announced the honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) for Professor Mobolaji Akinyemi, a professor of political science who was Nigeria’s External Affairs Minister from 1985 to 1987.
The national award comes with international recognition and status, but for Akinyemi, he has had CFR attached to his name for 14 years.
Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s president in 2011, awarded Akinyemi and 363 others with national honours in 2011.
That year, the presidency combined the 2010 and 2011 awardees as the awards did not hold a year before.
It also was the year Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, got the award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the second highest honour in the country.
Akinyemi’s CFR honour was the third highest honour available. Presidents, past presidents and head of state get the highly coveted Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), the highest national honour any Nigerian citizen can have.
In 2011, while only Dangote became a GCON, there were 39 Nigerians who became Commanders of the Federal Republic.
In Akinyemi’s company were Chinua Achebe, Victoria Gowon and several others. That year, Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Kaduna State Governor Ibrahim Yakowa, amongst others, became Commanders of the Order of the Niger (CON).
According to the National Honours Act, 1964, a holder of a national honour can only lose theirs either through a promotion to a higher rank or “if it appears to the President, after such inquiry (if any) as he thinks fit, that the holder of any rank of an Order has conducted himself in a manner inconsistent with the dignity of the Order, the President may by notice in the Federal Gazette deprive him of that rank”.
As Akinyemi has not earned a higher national honour in 14 years, and has not had his CFR taken from him, it appears odd that the presidency conferred the same title on him again.
The Act is silent on expiration of honours, and does not mention a time limit for one to carry the initials of the award.
It also specifies that “It shall be the duty of the Secretary to the Federal Government or of such other officer as the President may determine, to establish and maintain a register in respect of each Order, and to enter in the register particulars of the persons appointed to different ranks of the Order”.
Akinyemi’s repeat award might indicate a fault in the record-keeping.
