Maj.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, Chairman of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, Former World Heavy Weight Boxing Champion Bash Ali and Paul Ejime, a Media/Communications Specialist and Global Affairs Analyst, are among prominent Nigerians to be inducted into the National Development Hall of Fame at the weekend.

According to a statement by the Director of Honours, High Chief Darlinghtyn Momoh Umoru, a Security Consultant, the honorees “were selected from various human endeavours… socioeconomic, security, political, governance and religious spheres, in the organized private and public sectors.”

Also to be inducted are the Nigeria Football Premier League Board Chairman, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, ACG HK Ejibunu, Coordinator of Customs Operation Whirlwind, Hajji Gafar Liameed, the Lagos State FA Board Chairman, Pastor Victoria Ben Shimfe, Capt. Raymond Bitanis (Rtd.), Chief Matthias Okuma, Mr Onyekachukwu Davidson Ogbu, of the Nigerian Community in Cote d’Ivoire, Mr John Ocholi, and Amb. Abigail Jerry.

Others are AC Dinya Sabo, Dr. Oluwasegun Musa, a former gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State, CSC Lauretta Utubor, Chief Calistus Elozieuwa, Dr. Martins Okay Justice and Dr. Rafiu Oladipo, President of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control and President-General, Nigeria Football Supporters Club.

Dr. Chioma Amajoh, affectionately called “Mama Malaria” because of her outstanding contributions to controlling the mosquito-borne deadly disease in Africa, will be inducted into the Mother Africa Hall of Fame.

Chief Umoru told journalists in Lagos on Tuesday that the award, which will be an annunal event, is the first of it’s kind in Nigeria, adding that the honorees “have excelled… in their respective careers or professions with recognizable contributions and/or achievements toward the uplift, growth, peace and unity of the nation.”

Organized by the Elation Magazine, Royal International Magazine, Elation Communications Limited and an online publication, news.elationcoms.com, “The National Development Merit Award, a novel in the West African sub-region is for deserving individuals, based in Nigeria or abroad, who have written their names in the sands of time, ” he added.

The 2025 induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, 21 June 2025, at the National Merit Award Secretariat, Abuja. ##