Obi demanded a change in the way the coveted national awards are given out during his remarks on Thursday in Abuja at the public launch of The Chronicles of a Legend, a biography of business tycoon and philanthropist Gabriel Igbinedion.

“The Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, or GCON, and the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, or GCFR, should be for productive people and entrepreneurs, not politicians,” he stated.

“The way we honor people needs to change.”

Insisting that accomplished people like Igbinedion should receive greater national honor and recognition, the former governor of Anambra State commended Igbinedion’s services to aviation, education, and the preservation of Nigeria’s cultural legacy.
“We live in a nation where we honor people who shouldn’t be honored,” he remarked. Our celebration for him today would have been more meaningful if we had.

“If we had been a country that was productive, over 20 million Nigerians would have been employed because Igbinedion employed over 17,000 Nigerians,” Obi stated, highlighting Igbinedion’s record as a significant employer of labor.

Obi’s comments coincide with the public discussion around the Super Falcons’ recent receipt of cash and housing gifts, as well as national honors, for winning the African Cup of Nations.

Numerous Nigerians have advocated for the equal acknowledgment of those who make contributions to national security, health, and education.

A number of Nigerians, both alive and dead, received national awards from President Bola Tinubu in July for their contributions to the nation’s progress. This action elicited conflicting responses around the nation.