President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, at a ceremony held under very tight security at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, conferred national awards in different categories on 350 Nigerians.



The ceremony kicked off around 10.45 a.m. with the arrival of the President.



Those conferred with the awards were recipients for 2010 and 2011 as the ceremony could not hold last year because of the preparations for the 2011 elections.



Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, however, shockingly revealed that some of the awardees may not get their medals immediately.



According to him, this is because of shortage of medals. He, however, said those who did not get their medals today will get it in a week’s time. Also speaking before the the President began to confer the awards, Justice Belgore, former chief justice of Nigeria and chairman of National Award Committee, said a total of 3,924 Nigerians have been conferred with different categories of the award since it began in 1963.



Billionaire businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, received the highest award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), thus becoming the first person outside government to receive the nation’s second highest national honour. He was honoured for his contribution to Nigeria’s economic development and philantropy.



The second person conferred with the honour is Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives, with the award of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR). Also conferred with CFR is Ita Ekpeyong, the Director General of State Security Service and Mohammed Bello Adoke, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.



Those also honoured include the three service chiefs and Hafiz Ringim, the Inspector General of Police.



Other awardees at the event still going on as at the time of filing in this report include Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio; some serving ministers including Olusegun Aganga, Emeka Wogu, Godsday Orubebe, Diezani Alison-Madueke and Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, who are to be honoured with Commander of the Order of Niger (CON).



Former CEO of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia and another banker, Atedo Peterside, was also be honoured.



Others include Joseph Yobo, Mariam Usman and Peter Konyegwachi, who will receive Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) award.



In the entertainment industry, those conferred with the award include Genevieve Nnaji, Stephanie Okereke, Olu Jacobs, Kanayo O. Kanayo and Osita Iheme. Each of them will receive the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) award, while Nigeria’s first female vice chancellor, Professor Grace Alele-Williams, will be honoured with the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), alongside a number of state chief justices, including erstwhile Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Babangida Nguroje.