The national honour, Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) conferred on Mr Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity in the Office of the ex-Vice President, is a well deserved honour and reward for exceptional service to the nation, according to a statement by the MediaCentral Forum.
In a statement signed on behalf of the group by its Coordinator, Alhaji Bature Ibrahim on Monday, 29 May, 2023, it stated that Mr Akande’s conferment of the O.O.N was most deserving given his track record in office.
According to the statement, “The honour done to Mr Akande in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of the nation, the Buhari administration and in particular, his coordination of media and related activities in the VP’s Office in the past 8 years, is not only deserving but long overdue.”
Praising President Buhari for the decision, the group said “while we commend Mr President for the honour and recognition done to Mr Laolu Akande and other deserving awardees, we congratulate Mr Laolu Akande, OON, for the recognition.
“We assure you of our continuous prayers and best wishes in all of your future endeavours.”
The statement also congratulated other personalities recognized by the President especially other senior aides in the VP’s office: -Sen. Babafemi Ojudu; Hajiya Mariam Uwais; Mr Tola Adekunle-Johnson; Amb Abdullahi Gwary; Pastor Seyi Malomo and Tolani Ali, among others.
In a similar vein, a social media influencer, Ms. Gloria Adagbon, described the Vice President’s Spokesman as an astute professional who has served diligently with dedication and utmost loyalty.
Adagbon who had collaborated with Akande in the past years to push narratives in pursuit of a new Nigeria thanked “Mr Akande for his great service to our amiable VP and the country. He is an astute professional who has served diligently with dedication and utmost loyalty.
“One thing I’ve learned from him is the ability to maintain focus in the midst of media noise and/or political shenanigans, displaying the highest level of professionalism. He has shown that one can stay the course on one’s beliefs and convictions against the odds. I wish him the very best for the next chapter.”
