Tinubu hails Nigerians honoured by Biden, UNILAG

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Director General of World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr Fola Adeola; and the Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Mr Kola Adesina, on the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on them by the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The university recognised Okonjo-Iweala for being the first African woman to lead the World Trade Organisation and for introducing significant reforms in Nigeria’s financial sector. It honoured Adeola for his pioneering role in the Nigerian banking sector and for founding the FATE Foundation, an NGO mentoring young Nigerian entrepreneurs through training and loans.

Adesina, an alumnus of the university, was recognised for his innovative contributions to the energy industry. Adesina is the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Sahara Power Group, an energy and infrastructure organisation with operations in 42 countries.

The three distinguished Nigerians were awarded the Doctor of Science honorary degree (D. Sc) by the university at its 55th convocation, yesterday.

Tinubu, who described the awards as well deserved, said he also cherished exceptional Nigerians, who excelled in their careers, becoming role models for the nation’s youth.

In one of the congratulatory letters, President Tinubu praised Adesina for his contributions to Nigeria’s energy sector, highlighting this recognition as a reflection of his commitment to advancing national development.

The President stated that the three Nigerian icons deserved recognition for their pursuit of excellence, hard work, and invaluable contributions to the nation’s economic development.

SIMILARLY, President Tinubu congratulated six distinguished Diaspora Nigerians named by President Joe Biden among the 400 recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in the United States.

This prestigious recognition, established by former President Bill Clinton in 1996, is the highest honour bestowed by the United States Government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers.

This year’s awardees, announced by President Joe Biden on January 14, are employed or funded by 14 participating United States Government agencies.

The Nigerian honorees include Azeez Butali; Professor of Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Gilbert Lilly; Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, Ijeoma Opara; and postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Oluwatomi Akindele.

Others are the Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology at Northeastern University, Eno Ebong; Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University, Oluwasanmi Koyejo; and Executive Vice Chair of the Case School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Abidemi Ajiboye.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, yesterday, Tinubu commended them for their remarkable achievements in science, technology and engineering.