Tinubu’s GCON award to associate, Chagoury, draws flak

By Itodo Daniel Sule, Seun Adeuyi (Abuja) & Mumini Abdulkareem (Ilorin)

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come under criticism over the conferment of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on his longtime associate, Gilbert Chagoury.

In a letter sighted by Daily Trust, the president said Chagoury was given Nigeria’s second-highest honour because of his contributions to the country.

“In exercise of the powers vested in me under section 1(4) of the National Honours Act, 1, BOLA AHMED TINUBU, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in recognition of your outstanding virtues and in appreciation of your services to our country, Nigeria, HEREBY award to you to have, and enjoy title, dignity and all the privileges of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) GIVEN at Abuja under my Hand and the Public Seal of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the letter reads.

Responding, billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, said the honour was well deserved, praising Chagoury’s legacy in business and national development.

He highlighted Chagoury’s contributions to major real estate and infrastructure projects, noting that they have created jobs and left a lasting imprint on Nigeria’s urban landscape.

Chagoury is a Lebanese Nigerian who was born to Lebanese immigrant parents in Lagos.

In 1971, he co-founded the Chagoury Group with his younger brother Ronald Chagoury, an industrial conglomerate with interests in construction, real estate and property development, flour mills, water bottling and purification, glass manufacturing, insurance, hotels, furniture manufacturing, telecommunications, IT, catering and international financing.

There was a controversy in 2024 when Tinubu awarded the $11 billion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Chagoury’s Hitech, a deal that came under scrutiny due to the lack of public bidding as well as the longtime association between Tinubu and Chagoury.

It has since been reported that Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, sits on the board of one of Chagoury’s companies, while also being a joint shareholder in a British Virgin Islands company with Gilbert’s son, Ronald Chagoury Jr.

Nigerians with GCON titles

Over the years, Nigerians who have served in top public offices such as vice presidents, Senate Presidents, Deputy Senate presidents and Chief Justices of Nigeria, as well as those who have contributed to the economic development of the country, were among those usually honoured with the country’s second-highest honour of GCON.

Among past awardees are Vice President Kashim Shettima, former vice presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Alex and Ekwueme.

Others include the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kekere Ekun and former Chief Justices of Nigeria, Adetokunbo Ademola, Olukayode Ariwoola, Tanko Mohammed, Dahiru Musdapher, Idris Legbo Kutugi, and Mohammed Lawal Uwais.

Also conferred with the GCON title include Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, former Senate Presidents Joseph Wayas, David Mark, Anyim Pius Anyim, Bukola Saraki and Ahmad Lawan.

Award will erode value of Nigeria’s honours system – CSOs

Reacting to the development, civil rights activist and Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, criticised President Tinubu over the conferment of the GCON national honour on a “foreign national”, describing the move as a dangerous precedent that could further erode the value of Nigeria’s honours system.

Rafsanjani said while it is acceptable to recognise foreigners who contribute to Nigeria’s economy, such recognition should not extend to honours traditionally reserved for Nigerians with exceptional and selfless service to the nation.

“There is nothing wrong with appreciating foreigners contributing to our economy,” Rafsanjani said, “but not that kind of highest honour because it is reserved for Nigerians who have contributed immensely to the development and peace of Nigeria.”

He questioned the criteria used in arriving at the decision, arguing that Nigeria appeared to be lowering the bar for its most prestigious awards.

According to Rafsanjani, the award has created the impression that national honours are being given to friends, business partners or associates of those in power, rather than on the basis of merit.

He argued that without clear criteria, the President retains wide discretion that could lead to politicisation of the honours system.

To address the controversy, he called on the National Assembly to initiate a national debate and develop clear policy guidelines on the conferment of national honours.

He warned that continued abuse of the honours system could lead to future governments revoking awards, further politicising what should be a merit-based process.

Also speaking, the Executive Director, Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA), Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye, said the president’s action amounts to a “clear conflict of interest.”

Otitolaye said, “The signal being sent to the international community is that anybody can just walk into Nigeria, whether as a friend or business associate, and lay claim to our national honour.”

Comrade Musa Aliyu, Director of the Media Advocacy and Technologies Centre, also faulted the decision, describing it as a clear violation of the established protocol for national honours.

“Awarding such a prestigious honour to a foreign national ridicules the integrity of Nigeria’s honour system. This is a decision that will be recorded in history, and unfortunately, future generations may not be proud of this administration for it,” he said.

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