…….as HRM Ajayi, HRM Egbi, HRH Okon, Ekpetipu,Chichah, Oviri,Sokoh, Okpako Others Bag RDN Award
HRM Richard Layeguen Ogbon (JP), OON, RDN, RC, The Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom has said that greedy and unkind people should not be addressed as distinguished and honourable people in our society.
HRM Richard Ogbon stated this recently at the occasion of the fourth conferment of honour/merit award of a Real Distinguished Nigerian (RDN), by Nigerian Community Research Consortium (NCRC) on some distinguished Nigerians.
According to the grand patron and member board of trustee, NCRC, HRM Richard Ogbon, said he is tired of seeing people referred to as distinguished and honourable misbehave in full public glare without shame. “By what means are you distinguished if you talk and behave anyhow? You are greedy, boastful, you insult people who voted for you, you fight, oppress and are unkind to the helpless people instead of assisting them tell me why you should be referred to as honourable or distinguished people in the society.
“To be distinguished is to be special, to set oneself from the crowd whether in politics, religion, academic or social setting. I want you to think seriously on ways to distinguish yourself first and the society will recognize you. To the eleven recipients of this prestigious merit award today, I say congratulation and keep the good work on.”
In his welcome address, Deacon Joe Oharisi President of Nigeria Community Research Consortium (NCRC) stated that majority of Nigerians today indulge in the worship and respect of fraudsters, dishonest, crafty public holders. “We clap and hail corrupt leaders who embezzle public funds meant for human capital development at the detriment of the teaming impoverished, helpless masses. This unquestionable phenomenon of according respect to the wrong persons now dominates the Nigeria’s social, political, academic and religious landscape.
“This ugly development has catapulted the wrong persons as distinguished and honourable in our society. They are given all types of honour awards in the land. Some of these dishonest, wicked, and heartless people are usually invited as chairmen, special guest of honour, fathers of the day to thanksgiving service in churches and are blessed with special prayers by religious leaders. We in the NCRC do not consider these people as honourable. The honourable and distinquished people to us are those honest and hardworking individuals who acquired their wealth legitimately and use it to assist the needy around them.”
Continuing he said “the NCRC in its investigation can confidently say that these eleven Nigerians being recognized with The Real Distinguished Nigerian (RDN) award today are diligent, trustworthy, honest, God fearing, transparent, dedicated to duty, humble, peace loving and have quest for the common good and development of their respective communities. This group of persons may not be wealthy as the corrupt ones, yet the little they have, they invest into the welfare of the less privileged members of the society.”
Deacon Joe Oharisi tasked the title holders to continue in the humanitarian, philanthropic activities that led to their recognition for the RDN award. “We want you to operate like the Rotary club, emulate them in terms of rural infrastructural development to complement government effort in community development. We want to encourage you to identify and assist your communities in areas of essential grass root community needs. Peradventure you find that you alone cannot finance such projects, you can notify this organization to mobilize our members to raise fund to assist you.” He said
Lists of Recipients for the Honor/ Merit Award of Real Distinguished Nigerians (RDN) 2021 edition, HRM Oba (Barr.) R.O. Ajayi, HRM Dr. (RONT.) Matthew Egbi ,HRH Ibok Jacob Okon, Rev. Dr. Isaac Chichah ,Engr. Peter Ekpetipu E, Chief Oviri Okemute Jacob, Elder (Chief) Dr. Solomon Ajomata Ala, Chief Sokoh O. Stephen, Comrade Okosije Goodluck Mamuyovwi, Professor Okapko Johnson Egodotaire and Chief Dr. Eshenake Samuel Jimoh
While receiving the award, HRM Dr. M.E. Egbi, Owahwa II, the Okobaro of Ughievwen Kingdom applauded NCRC, describing its modus operandi as very rare and unusual, “I thank the organizers and people that were here to witness and as well congratulate me. There is a saying that gold is not given to those who do not know the value so those of us that were given the award we should hold it to heart and behave and act like it. We should be encouraged by this award to do more and also improve on our life style of living so that the society looking at us can emulate us.”
HRH Engr. Ibok Jacob Okon of Abia-Edi Autonomous Community Esit-Eket, Akwa-Ibom State described the award as humbling, “I am actually humbled by the selection process and this means more work as hard work demands further hard work. I will continue with what I have been doing, helping the community but I am also a very private person I do not know how they found out because I do not like show casing what I am doing because the bible says what your right hand does, your left hand should not know about it so what I am doing is between me and my God but this award will spur me to do more for the community. I think with me into this now we are going to have a meeting of all recipients where we will brainstorm and find a way of consolidating this award and making it stand and realize the essence it was set up in the first place.”
On his part HRM Barr R.O. Ajayi Oba of Gbomina Ekiti, Tapa Kingdom, said he is highly elated to have been considered worthy of the prestigious RDN award, “what the organizers have done today will go down in history. This award was not bought. Nobody has spent or given ten kobo for it. All the way from Yoruba land people here in Delta state were taking note of what we were doing that is why I want to tell all of you present here today to continue to do what is good and right because there is no one who has sown a good or bad seed that will not reap the harvest from what he has sown.”
Rev. Dr. Isaac Chichah, Zonal Coordinator Church of God Mission International Incorporated said the award will add more fuel, zeal and motivation to his job, “I feel highly elated this is the way honour should be given in Nigeria. The organizers are genuine, very thorough and are not sycophants. This award is for genuinely qualified Nigerians not the highest bidder. It is in recognition that I am doing something and I intend to do better than this. When you are recognized then you can do better. I am a community person I believe in human development, empowerment of people and evangelism, it is in my character and nature. I have been in Ughelli zone for 18 months and we have planted 40 new churches. It is not by pride nor university degree no it is the call of God I believe that any where we have human beings we must go there.”
On his part, Engr. Peter Ekpetipu E. Manager, NDDC said the award was a call for more responsibility, “this award will spur me to expand my activities on human capital development. It will encourage me to do more without mincing words; I am already working with our youths to see how we can remove them from the street to become responsible people tomorrow. This is a challenge I have impacted knowledge on so many of them on the need to live right. Each one of us needs to live right and do what is right. If your neighbor is suffering and you have the means and opportunity, you just have to help. If you are a step higher, lift others up too.” He said
Chief Oviri Okiemute Jacob (JP) Senior Special Assistant to Governor of Delta State encouraged Nigerians to emulate good things, “I am very happy and thank the almighty God for making today a reality. The organization is sincere and recognized at all levels of government. I will do more good but want to encourage Nigerians to emulate good things because doing well brings positive recognition. It is the little good that we have been doing in our communities that has brought us to this level today.”
Prof. Okpako Johnson Egodotaire, Senate Member, University of PortHarcourt, appealed to the youths to be diligent and not pursue money by all means, “The best award for a man is that one that you did not negotiate for I am a salary earner but I have concerned myself with rendering assistance to the down trodden, I have been giving scholarship to people around. I have been caught in a good mirror today and I want to encourage people to put their hand and might towards anything positive.
“I am a professor at the University of PortHarcourt but I am a community based person. I interact with the community and the community interacts with me I may not have bags of money but I have touched my people at the community level within my capacity. I want to also encourage the youths to come out of those things that are not dignifying and be diligent. Focus your energy and time on those things that will make your parents and community proud, do not pursue money faster than your shadow.”
Elder Chief Dr. Solomon Ajomata Ala, Senior Special Assistant to Governor of Delta State stated that he will support the organization in whatever way he can to see that more people receive the award yearly. “This is another opportunity to serve humanity because every award that you receive is a step to a greater responsibility. I have the zeal and desire to do more but power does not belong to man but God so I am begging God to strengthen me to do more to affect more lives. My major focus in the area of education is, (rendering financial assistant to indigent students, less privileged pupils and students) also widows and the aged persons.
