THE award of national honours in any country is expected to be based on demonstrable high achievement in particular fields of human endeavour. By definition, it ought to be a scarce commodity and of such a nature that it is worth the while of aspiring individuals to spend their lifetime in pursuit of the singular honour. Giving national honours to very large numbers of people devalues the honour and lumps apples and pears in a hodgepodge that insults the sensibilities of truly worthy individuals. What has happened this year has truncated any pretence at the search for and reward of excellence.The recent national honours award ceremony presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan will be remembered as an event in which many things went wrong. For a start about 365 persons were given awards for meritorious achievements. At a rate of one honouree per day, it begs the question whether we are dispensing honours or throwing garlands of favour to the faithful. Before now, the award of these honours has been reducing in value with notable Nigerians rejecting it. In this latest exercise, we appear to have hit rock bottom in our value system. Nigerians have wondered aloud how so many undesirables got on to the list. Awardees being persons in the limelight are expected to be role models for others to emulate. Some of the names on that list cannot be role models to anybody.The event itself was a typical Nigerian comedy of errors and lack of diligence. Many recipients heard of their awards first on radio and then nothing more until the inauguration. Some lucky recipients were requested to come along with two invitees. At the venue, the congregation assembled long before seeing the programme of events. When it was time for the presentation of medals, they were found to be insufficient. Certificates did not fare better as they too were in short supply. A government spokesman explaining the shortages glibly informed Nigerians, as if it was their fault, that the number of awardees was too many. In a continuing orgy of ineptitude, a number of persons advertised to receive the honours had indeed received the same class of honours previously while some who had received higher honours before were ignorantly downgraded. This is not a way to treat those who have served this country at the highest levels with integrity. All these beg the question whether those in charge of these honours know what they are doing. Nigerians are entitled to ask whether there are any records of these awards anywhere.Looking through the honour list, we see glaring inconsistencies making the entire exercise look more like patronage. Some serving governors for instance received the awards but not others leading to a suspicion of favouritism. Our political history suggests that it is unwise to honour serving governors as no one can predict how they will end up given the corruption that has almost without exception dogged their performance.We recall that in the past, applications for national honours were advertised in the press. Apart from a few honours granted to the first three or four top citizens of Nigeria, the rest were expected to be earned. A national honour should not be given to serving officers and other public servants merely for assuming office. But it will be appropriate for such persons to receive these awards after they had completed their assignments meritoriously.National honours should not be given to persons who have been convicted for any offence under our laws; neither should honours be given to those who, although not convicted, are facing criminal law suit. Giving such people an award creates bias and pre-empts the judgement. Indeed all those who had previously received the award but have subsequently been convicted or found to be corrupt should be stripped of them. It is a well known fact that some Nigerian contractors never fully execute their contracts. The country is strewn with abandoned projects. Such persons do not deserve to receive national honours as they cannot point to any tangible benefit Nigerians have received from their activities. What the federal government is doing lacks transparency and this ought not to be the case.This year, renowned author and statesman Prof Chinua Achebe turned down the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) medal offered to him ' for the second time ' by the federal government saying that the conditions that led to his previous rejection of the honour still remain. Also, House of Representatives minority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila declined his CON medal, citing the questionable integrity of the entire process. Other conscientious objectors to these honours include Prof. Tam David-West, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.President Goodluck Jonathan seems to amply enjoy the ceremonial aspects of his job. He must be careful not to lose sight of the problem-solving aspects of his occupation for which Nigerians voted for him. He has acknowledged the many shortcomings of this year's award and promised to do something about it. May we suggest that his starting point should be a drastic review of the National Honours Act, 1964.
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