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I feel deeply honored as I stand here today to accept this award of a doctorate degree by Nigeria's premier private University, Igbinedion University, Okada. I also feel a deep sense of humility to be counted in the same roll of honour as my distinguished fellow honorees, Alh Sen. (Dr.) Bala Muhammed (Kauran Bauchi), and previous recipients of similar honours from your University including former President Alh Shebu Shagari, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Most Hon. P. J. Patterson of Jamaica, His Excellency Mr. John Kuffor of Ghana, His Eminence Sultan Alh Sa'ad Abubakar, Hon Justice Alfa Belgore, Hajia Turai Yar' Adua, Mrs Victoria Gowon, Malam Isa Yuguda, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to mention but a few. It is a truly distinguished corpus of honorary alumni and I thank you for counting me worthy of such of a great honour.
I have received various awards over the year but this particular one is special to me because it is my first award of an honorary doctorate. It is also special because of the pedigree of the institution that is awarding the honour and the personality of the proprietor, Honourable Chancellor and Chairman, Board of Regents, His Excellency Chief Sir Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom. Chief Sir Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin, is a true giant of our time given his achievements in business, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and services to humanity, he is an inspiration to all of us here and so many others across the world. I am pleased to see that he has imbued his spirit of achievement and excellence into this University. I am impressed with the achievements of Igbinedion University Okada which has in just fifteen years produced outstanding graduates in disciplines such as medicine, law, accounting, engineering, computer science, banking and finance and economics. Your university has consistently maintained the highest standards in academics, research and Innovations and the graduates of your institution that I have come across in the course of my work have been worthy testaments of your excellence. I see this honorary doctorate degree as a call on me to represent Igbinedion University well strive for excellence in all that I do and at all times. I promise not to let the University down.
One other trait of Esama of Benin which I must Mention is the fact that he is a consummate bridge builder. Chief (Sir) Gabriel Igbinedion is noted for having a global network of friends and associates. I believe at this trying time in our history, bridge building is an attribute that we all need to cultivate. Too often, human beings allow rivers to divide them, rivers of religion, rivers of tribe, rivers of class, rivers of colour, etc. We too often stand distant from one another, distrustful and misunderstanding one another because we fail to build bridges that will enable us see others view points and understand ourselves.
I have tried to live my life as a bridge builder by striving to get close to all and sundry with a view to understanding, knowing and living in harmony with my fellow man, be he Fulani, Yeroba, Igbo, Hausa or Benin and I have been the better for that. Bridge building is a task that I wish to recommend to all of you here present especially to the current state of graduates as they go out into the world. This is more so in view of the unfortunate crisis that is bedeviling our country. You should always consider yourself first as a Nigerian and be proud of that fact and consider your fellow brothers and sisters as Nigerians irrespective of their religious, tribal or regional colourations. The university has found you worthy both academically and morally as such is awarding you this great honour which so many are clamouring for. You should honour this great Award by going out of your way to assist all Nigerians in whatever way possible. In my own little way I am instituting a yearly award for best performing business student with the hope that this will further stimulate excellence in this great University.
In conclusion, I wish to thank all those who have contributed in various ways to making me the man that stands here today, a proud recipient of this honour. I thank my family, especially my dear wife Mami and our Children. I thank my life Chairman (Alh) Dr. U. A. Mutallab CON, Amb. Shehu Malami (Sarkin Sudan) and Dr. Nuruddeen A. Liman ex-Dean College of Business and Management Studies, Igbinedion University Okada, who has consistently provided me with support and encouragement. I also thank my colleagues and staff in companies and organizations such as Lafarge Africa Plc, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Finmal Financial Services Limited, Central Securities Cleaning System Plc, Jaiz Bank Plc, and so on. I appreciate all my friends who come here today to share this honour with me. I thank Igbinedion University's governing council, Senate and Management for finding me worthy of this honour.
Thank you so much.
May ALLAH reward you all
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