Buhari congratulates Oke for winning 2017 literary, science awards

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Ikeogu Oke, for winning the 2017 Nigerian Prize for Literature.

He gave the commendation yesterday in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

Oke, a writer, poet and journalist, won the award with “The Heresiad,’’ after an intensive process of adjudication.

Buhari specifically commended Oke’s passion and commitment to lifting the genre of poetry in the country.

He described it as an art that many people shy away from, due to the discipline it requires, as well as focus, reflective thinking and unique style of writing.

Buhari also felicitated with the winners of the science prize, whose revolutionary work in reducing the spread and management of malaria would continue to inspire other researchers on the possibility of living without the ailment in the future.

He extolled the efforts of Ikeoluwapo Ajayi, Ayodele Jegede and Bidemi Yusuf in “Improving home and community management of malaria, providing the evidence base.

Included also, is the “Multifaceted efforts at malaria control in research: management of malaria of various grades, and mapping artemisinin resistance” by Olugbenga Mokuolu.

Buhari also praised Chukwuma Agubata for his research on “Novel lipid microparticles for effective delivery of Artemether Antimalarial drug.

The research used a locally sourced Irvingia fat from nuts of Irvingia gabonensis var excelsa (ogbono).