President Muhammadu Buhari has lauded the contributions of Nigerian artistes, saying they have put the country’s entertainment industry on the global map.
Buhari said this on Tuesday in Abuja when he conferred national honours to over 400 persons including Burna Boy, Teni and 2Face.
While Burna Boy was honoured with the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) title, which was received by his father, Teni and 2Face received the honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), a feat Buhari said was deserving.
‘‘Worthy of mention are our artistes, particularly, our very own Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (Burna Boy), who won the Grammy Awards in 2020,” Buhari said in a statement by his media aide Femi Adesina.
“He, along with other artistes, has repositioned the Nigerian entertainment industry and placed it on the global map. At the just concluded Dubai Expo 2020, Nigeria’s pavilion was a beehive of activities as our musicians entertained guests from around the world.”
Aside from the trio, other notable recipients of the awards were the President’s late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State; Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Ishaq Oloyede; the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State amongst others.
Six persons were conferred with GCON, 55 received Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), 65 got the Commander of the Order of Niger (CON), 77 were presented with the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR); 110 received the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON); 74 were presented with Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) and 55 received Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
