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From Thousands To Honors: Why Tinubu’s Massive Wave Of National Awards Is Stirring Political Debate.
Within his first three years in office, President Bola Tinubu has awarded national honours to at least 1,062 individuals, including both Nigerians and foreign nationals. This figure surpasses the total number of awards conferred by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, over an eight-year period, and is more than triple the number granted by former President Goodluck Jonathan during his 2014 investiture. The largest single batch was ratified in October 2025, following the screening of over 5,000 nominations. Beyond regular awards, the President has recognized members of the military, heroes of democracy, and international figures such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Despite the scale of these honours, the awards have occasionally sparked public discourse, most notably regarding the recent recognition of businessman Gilbert Chagoury.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
President Tinubu’s administration has set a new precedent for the frequency and volume of national honours, reaching over 1,062 recipients in less than three years. Data indicates this volume is historically unprecedented, notably exceeding the 447 awards granted by President Buhari in 2022 and the 304 conferred by President Jonathan in 2014. The process, managed by the National Honours Award Committee, has included diverse groups ranging from the Super Eagles football team and fallen soldiers to democracy advocates and global business leaders. While the honours system, established in 1964, remains a prerogative of the President, the high volume and specific selections—such as the quiet conferment of the GCON on Gilbert Chagoury—have drawn significant attention and debate.
Option 3: Short/Bullet-Point Brief
President Tinubu has significantly ramped up the conferment of national honours during his tenure. Here are the key findings:
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Scale: Over 1,062 people have been honoured in less than three years, a higher total than that of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, during his entire eight-year term.
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Process: The largest recent batch included 959 recipients, selected from a pool of over 5,000 nominations.
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Diverse Recognition: Awards have been granted to military personnel, democracy heroes, sports teams, and foreign dignitaries, including Indian PM Narendra Modi and Bill Gates.
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Controversy: Some awards, particularly the GCON given to Gilbert Chagoury in early 2026, have stirred public debate regarding the transparency and selection process.
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Historical Context: Since the system began in 1963, at least 6,400 people have been honoured under the National Honours Act of 1964.
Super Eagles and Brentford defender Benjamin Fredrick has finally made his competitive return to the pitch after enduring a grueling 287-day layoff due to a knee injury sustained in November 2025 while on loan at Belgian side FCV Dender EH. The 21-year-old center-back logged 45 minutes for Brentford U-21 in a dominant 5-1 Premier League 2 victory over Sunderland U-21 at Wheatsheaf Park before being substituted for Ollie Shield at halftime—a match highlighted by a hat-trick from Kaye Furo, son of former Nigeria international Iyenemi Furo.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Fredrick’s lengthy absence sidelined him from the bronze-winning squad at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and interrupted a promising trajectory that saw him make his Super Eagles debut, feature prominently during Nigeria’s Unity Cup triumph under Eric Chelle, and play crucial minutes in the 2026 World Cup African play-offs in Morocco following his breakout campaign at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
His timely return provides a major boost for the national team as coach Eric Chelle prepares to unveil his squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where Nigeria is placed in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and co-hosts Tanzania. Meanwhile, Brentford U-21 will look to carry their momentum forward when they travel to face Hull City in the Premier League Cup on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, has adjourned a high-stakes suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026) filed by African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and his party against President Bola Tinubu, the APC, and INEC until September 28. The legal challenge seeks to disqualify President Tinubu from the 2027 presidential race over allegations that he submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate bearing the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”—a document he purportedly used dating back to his 1999 Lagos State governorship bid.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
During Tuesday’s proceedings, a legal team led by Omosanya Popoola appeared for President Tinubu, while Alex Iziyon (SAN) represented INEC. However, Atiku’s counsel, Joseph Onu, argued that the President had not yet been personally served and requested an alternative service method or a formal written undertaking from Tinubu’s counsel. While INEC urged the court to press forward given that over 17 days had elapsed since filing, Justice Ekwo ruled that the court would not dictate how plaintiffs manage their case and granted the adjournment. In closing, the judge issued a stern warning to all parties and legal representatives to refrain from discussing the sub-judice matter in the media or on social media to avoid severe consequences.
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has brought on Bright Ozebagbe and Deniran Ortega as assistant coaches for the Olympic Eagles, a move made public on September 1 through a press statement by Kola Daniel, Special Assistant on Media to the National Sports Commission (NSC) Director General. Chelle praised the two emerging tacticians for their strong backgrounds as the team gears up for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers kicking off in November 2026.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Ozebagbe currently serves as the Technical Adviser for Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) club Ikorodu City—who narrowly missed a continental spot at the close of last season—while Ortega brings UEFA licensure, Scottish Football Association training experience, and his ongoing role as an assistant coach for Nigeria’s Flying Eagles. Having already presented his roadmap to the NSC leadership, Chelle is slated to open the team’s training camp in Abuja shortly.
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