THE Conscience Foundation is a non-profit organisation that advocates for fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, good governance, and human rights.
We organised public activities like symposiums, press releases, public lectures and other legal means to make our voice heard in society. We work with the support of young people, women, professional associations and communities.
The Conscience Foundation is strongly opposed to the proposed merger of the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) with the National Honour Award.
The Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) was established in 1979 to recognise and reward academic and intellectual excellence in Nigeria and to focus on contributions to national development in fields like science, technology, medicine, humanities, and arts. It is important to note that recipients of these awards are chosen based on their exceptional contributions and impact in their respective fields. While the National Honour Award aims to recognise and reward outstanding contributions and achievements by Nigerians in various fields, this includes various categories of awards, such as Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) and Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR)
To us at the Conscience Foundation, the Potential Implications of a Merger are as follows
- Streamlining the award process and reducing duplication of efforts.
- Enhancing the prestige and recognition of both awards.
- Potential loss of focus on academic and intellectual excellence, which is the core of NNMA.
Our Challenges and Concerns:
- How do we ensure the merged award maintains its integrity and avoids politicisation?
- Establishing clear criteria for selection and awarding will be very difficult.
- Addressing concerns about the potential devaluation of the awards if given to undeserving individuals.
It must be clearly emphasised that the National Honour Award and the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) differ in their focus and criteria.
The Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) recognises outstanding contributions and achievements in various fields, including public service, arts, science, and community development. The Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA). Specifically focuses on recognising and rewarding academic and intellectual excellence in Nigeria. Honour individuals for their exceptional contributions and achievements in fields like science, technology, medicine, the humanities, and the arts and Emphasises academic and intellectual merit, with a focus on contributions to national development through knowledge and expertise.
The National Honour Award aims to honour individuals for their service to the nation, often with a focus on patriotism and national development. The National Honour Award includes various categories of awards, such as Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) and Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR)
The main difference lies in their scope and emphasis: the National Honour Award is broader, recognising a wide range of contributions, while the NNMA is more specific, focusing on academic and intellectual excellence and we must support them with more funding and motivation to become more formidable and a pole of attraction to others.
On Wednesday, 21st of May, 2025, during a stakeholders’ engagement in room 201 National Assembly Dr. Onwusoro Ihemelandu the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs reaffirmed that the Ministry strongly opposed the proposed motion to merge the National Honours with the Nigerian National Merit Award. He emphasised that the selection and assessment processes for the two awards were fundamentally different. While the National Honours are often influenced by political considerations, the Nigerian National Merit Award is strictly based on academic and intellectual achievements.
He noted that the National Honours lacks clearly defined criteria for selecting recipients, whereas the Nigerian National Merit Award involves a rigorous and painstaking evaluation process, ensuring that only the most deserving candidates are chosen.
He further described the Nigerian National Merit Award as a prestigious recognition based solely on merit—Nigeria’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
The Board of Trustees of the Conscience Foundation respectfully urged the National Assembly to allow the two to stay in their separate ways.
Bunmi Oyekanmi
Secretary
Conscience Foundation
