NATIONAL HONOURS: ONOVO BLASTS JOURNALISTS FOR QUERYING HIS ELIGIBILITY

The Inspector General of Sports, Ogbonnaya Onovo yesterday reacted angrily to a question from newsmen on whether he should be taking the national honours award considering the state of security in the country. He described the question as stupid adding that insecurity was everywhere in the world.

A visibly enraged Onovo thundered :'You have come specifically to provoke me.' His security aides had to send newsmen away.

The following ensued between Onovo and newsmen.
Do you think you deserve this award?
Onovo: Answer it for yourself, you are a member of the public, if I don't deserve it, say so?

Considering the state of security concerns in the country do you think you should be taking this award at this time?

Onovo: Answer it yourself, I can't answer stupid questions, because insecurity is all over the world. There is no society where there is no crime, tell me of any society, if you know one tell me, so I think it is not a proper question and I will not answer it. You have come to provoke me, you haven't come to ask questions as journalists who want to know and who want to disseminate information.

Dethroned speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, howverm, said the conferment of the award on her was a confirmation that one can still get justice in the land. According to Etteh, 'I feel so happy. I believe that Nigeria is now moving in the right direction and I now believe that justice is being done as far as I'm concerned. My case is a testimony that God lives.'

Asked to react to the fact that she was nominated for more than one award, she repliedd: 'Well, if you ask me I don't know the reason, but something becomes belated it can come in multiple folds.'

Asked if she considered the award a reprieve for what happened in the past, she said: 'Well I don't know what happened in the past, I've put that behind me and I am moving on, because I need to move on. I don't dwell in the past and I know that I need to forgive some people.'

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has dedicated his award to his staff. Sanusi expresses his happiness that the nation recognizes and endorses the reform process that is going on in the CBN saying that 'it encourages us to continue what we are doing.'

Also speaking, the former Minister of Finance and the Managing Director of World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said it is an honour to be recognized by the country for the work she did, describing it as a privilege. She prays that more women who she said are more deserving will be recognized in future awards.

For former Senate President, Joseph Wayas, it is better late than never. 'I must say I am happy. It is better late than never. I am particularly very happy and grateful to God that at long last it happened,' he said.