Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri Kingdom in Delta State, is the youngest person to be conferred with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) National Honours so far, palace sources said.
LEADERSHIP reports that the CFR is the third highest national honours award in Nigeria after the GCFR and GCON awards.
This is against an earlier report in some national dailies where former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his congratulatory message to a fellow awardee and President of Azikel Group, Dr Eruani Azibapu Godbless, described him as the youngest recipient of CFR national honours award.
However, an impeccable and reliable Warri palace source, who is in the know, said the report in a section of the media was incorrect and noted that His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri is the youngest person to be awarded CFR national honours in living memory.
According to him, “We were taken aback to read in some mainstream publications and online media which reported that Dr Eruani Azibapu is 48 year-old and therefore is the youngest to be honored with the CFR award. This is incorrect.
“Just to set the record straight, the Warri monarch is 38 year-old and that makes him the youngest person ever to be given the CFR by President Muhammadu Buhari few days ago.
“Our main concern as stated earlier is to set the record straight and not to engage in any controversy or join issues with Dr Azibapu whom we hold in high esteem just like any other recipient of the National Honours Award.”
