•Congratulates Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Fola Adeola, Kola Adesina for bagging UNILAG’S honorary doctorate degrees
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated six distinguished Diasporan 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.
The 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.
In another development President Tinubu also rejoiced with the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Fola Adeola, and Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Mr. Kola Adesina on the well-deserved conferment of honorary doctorate degrees by the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Meanwhile, this year’s awardees, announced by President Joe Biden on January 14, 2025, are employed or funded by 14 participating United States Government agencies.
In a release issued on Thursday by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu commended these trailblazing Nigerians for their remarkable achievements in science, technology and engineering.
The president noted that recognising these exceptional talents underscores Nigerians’ vast potential to excel both at home and on the global stage.
He looked forward to the honorees sharing their multidisciplinary expertise to benefit Nigeria’s development efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Nigerian honorees include Azeez Butali, Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa; Ijeoma Opara, Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Yale School of Public Health, Yale University; and Oluwatomi Akindele, Postdoctoral Researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Others are Eno Ebong, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology at Northeastern University; Oluwasanmi Koyejo, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University; and Abidemi Ajiboye, Executive Vice Chair of the Case School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University.
The University of Lagos recognised Dr. Okonjo-Iweala for her trailblazing role as the first African woman to lead the World Trade Organisation and for introducing significant reforms in Nigeria’s financial sector.
It honoured Mr. Fola 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.
Mr. Kola 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 a Doctor of Science honorary degree (D. Sc) by the university at its 55th convocation on January 16.
President Tinubu, in a statement issued yesterday by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, deeply admired these exceptional Nigerians who have excelled in their careers and are role models for the nation’s youth.
In one of the congratulatory letters, the President praised Mr. Adesina for his significant contributions to Nigeria’s energy sector, highlighting this recognition as a reflection of his commitment to advancing national development.
“Your visionary leadership at Sahara Power Group has been transformative, ensuring sustainable power solutions and inspiring professionals across the energy sector to pursue excellence.
“This honorary degree is a well-deserved acknowledgement of your tireless efforts to elevate engineering standards and drive innovation in Nigeria,” President Tinubu remarked.
According to the President, the three Nigerian icons deserve recognition for their pursuit of excellence, hard work, and invaluable contributions to the nation’s economic development.
“I encourage you to continue to serve as beacons of hope, innovation, and inspiration for future generations. Please know that your contributions remain deeply valued by the government and people of Nigeria,” the President stated.
President Tinubu wished Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, Mr. Adeola and Mr. Adesina more success.
