President Tinubu Honors Bill Gates with National Award
On Tuesday in Lagos, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Bill Gates , co-founder of Microsoft and chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The award recognizes Gates’ outstanding contributions to improving lives through global leadership in maternal health, agriculture, disease control, and poverty reduction.
“Today, I would like to share my happiness and respect and acknowledge one of the greatest human beings in the world,” President Tinubu said.
He thanked Gates for his unwavering commitment to humanity and described it as an inspiration to leaders across the globe.
“It is highly remarkable. I thank you very much. It is a great thing to honour you as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Bill Gates: A Legacy of Global Impact
In his acceptance speech, Bill Gates expressed gratitude for the recognition, dedicating it to the team at the Gates Foundation.
“I am very happy to receive the honour for myself and the incredible team at the Foundation.”
He reflected on the foundation’s work in Nigeria over the past 25 years, noting progress in health outcomes, including reduced child mortality and successful vaccine campaigns.
Gates highlighted the importance of partnerships in tackling public health challenges such as polio eradication.
“A lot was learned, and partnerships were built with traditional institutions,” he said.
He also praised Nigerian leaders, including Minister of Health Prof. Muhammad Pate and businessman Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for their support in driving change.
Fighting Cervical Cancer and Malaria in Nigeria
Gates revealed that the foundation has already begun rolling out HPV vaccines to protect girls aged 9–14 from cervical cancer, which kills about 7,000 women annually in Nigeria.
“Nigeria achieved a better result than any other country in getting out the vaccine to young girls,” he said.
Looking ahead, Gates reaffirmed his commitment to investing his entire wealth into global health causes over the next two decades.
He outlined ambitious goals, including eradicating malaria within 20 years and reducing malnutrition in Nigeria.
“Some of our goals will seem ambitious; for example, in the next twenty years, we hope to eradicate malaria.”
Recognition Rooted in Long-Term Partnership
Prof. Muhammad Pate, Minister of Health and Social Development, praised the award as well-deserved.
“Bill Gates’ recognition is well deserved, considering his long-term involvement in Nigeria’s national development.”
Pate noted that the Gates Foundation has invested more than $2 billion in Nigeria, focusing on health care, agriculture, and digital economy initiatives.
He credited Gates and Aliko Dangote for mobilizing traditional leaders to increase immunization uptake in Northern Nigeria.
“The strong support of the Gates Foundation helped eradicate polio in Nigeria,” Pate added.
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