Tunde Olusunle celebrates Obafemi, scholar of note, at age 71
He was the sole recipient of the Nigeria National Merit Award, NNMA, in 2018. Chairman of the Governing Board of the NNMA, Prof Shekarau Yakubu, noted late October 2018, that out of three dozen nominations for the award, his own was the only entry which met all the criteria enunciated as prerequisites for the award.
The NNMA is traditionally conferred on scholars, academics, professionals and practitioners who have distinguished themselves locally and internationally in a select spectrum of disciplines, notably the humanities, arts, culture, engineering, technology, science and medicine.
The honour, which is the Nigerian equivalent of the Nobel Prize, has over the years been awarded to standard-bearers such as Professors Wole Soyinka; Chinua Achebe; John Pepper-Clark Bekederemo; Adeoye Lambo; Femi Osofisan; Niyi Osundare and Tanure Ojaide. Other recipients include: Professors Ayo Bamgbose; Laz Ekwueme; Anya Oko Anya; Br