Daily Independent Online.
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Tuesday, August 24, 2004.
Osun to honour Adeboye,
Onigbinde, others
By ’Gbenga
Faturoti,
Special
Correspondent, Osogbo
Osun State
government has concluded arrangements towards conferring merit award on 30
individuals as part of activities marking the 13th anniversary of the creation
of the state.
Those listed for
the merit award, according to Mr. Shegun Akinwusi, the state Head of Service
and chairman of the award committee, are the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian
Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye, the General Manager, 3SC
Football Club, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, former Registrar of National Board for
Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Olu Aina, the Managing Director (MD), The
Sun newspaper, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, the publisher, Ovation magazine, Mr. Dele
Momodu, the Chairman, Daily Times Plc., Dr. Yemi Farounbi and Alhaji Kareem
Adepoju a.k.a (Baba Wands).
Others include
14-year old JSS 3 student, Miss Ifeoluwapo Adeniyi, who authored four novels,
the late Mr. Odunayo Olagbaju, a former member of the Osun State House of
Assembly, who was murdered at the peak of political crisis in 2001, Chief Jimoh
Buraimoh, among others.
The Chairman of the
Merit Award Committee, Segun Akinwusi, said the 30 names were shortlisted out
of the 155 nominations received by the committee. He said the individuals were
found worthy in their various fields of endeavours hence the state government
was determined to show that patriotism, hardwork and integrity in service would
no longer go unrewarded.
On the criteria
used to pick the awardees, Akinwusi said, “The award recipients were
painstakingly selected from names submitted by individuals, corporate bodies,
various communities and agencies of government.”
He stated that apart
from the 30 names selected, scores of other nominees would receive letters of
commendation from the state government to acknowledge their contributions to
Osun State in particular and Nigeria in general, adding, “Such
individuals can also be considered for the Osun State Merit Award in subsequent
years.”
Other activities
lined up for the 13th anniversary of the creation of Osun State include
inter-religious service and a broadcast to the people of the state by Governor
Olagunsoye Oyinlola on Friday.
