The Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) said on Friday that a total of 71 Nigerians have been conferred with the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award (NNOM) since inception in 1979.
Prof. Gbolagade Ayoola, the Secretary of the NNMA Governing Booard, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) IN Abuja on Friday.
According to Ayoola, as at December 2014, a total of 71 Nigerians have distinguished themselves and have been able to pass through the litmus test of the NMMA to get the NNOM Award.
He said that of the 71, 51 were still living while 21 had died.
He added that 15 were honoured in the field of medicine, 10 from science, 11 in engineering and technology, 34 from humanities and one from other sector.
Ayoola further said that 68 of the awardees were men while three were women.
He said that prospective recipients of the award were either nominated by persons or a group of persons who felt that the nominees had distinguished themselves nationally and internationally in various spheres.
He explained that the NNMA Governing Board had no right to nominate any person(s).
According to him, a person can offer himself for nomination or the general public can nominate such a person based on outstanding performances.
He explained that it was the mandate of NNMA to place advertisement in the National dailies informing the general public of the categorisation of awards.
He said that those nominated would be scrutinised by the Committee of Assessors set up by the NMMA in four core categorisation such as Engineering/ Technology, Science, Medicine and Humanities.
“The governing board, at the meeting convened for the purpose, has the right to ratify the recommendation of the Chairman of the specialised committee.
“ It is when they ratify that a communication will be sent to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria about the recommendation for him to be invited to grant the award.
The secretary advised Nigerians to shun the general misconception that the NNMA is given to only influential persons in the country.
He stressed that the NNOM Award was distinct from the National Honours Award.
According to him, the NNOM award is a separate Order of dignity that specifically aims at recognising, promoting and rewarding academic achievements in all fields of human endeavour.
