President Bola Tinubu has conferred the National Honour of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates.
The President noted that Gates has inspired leaders worldwide by consistently lifting the poor and the underprivileged.
He stressed that Mr. Gates, who is also the Chairman of Melinda and Gates Foundation, had intervened in maternal health, agriculture and infectious disease research.
President Tinubu thanked Gates for providing global leadership that had prioritised ameliorating the lives and safety of the poor and the underprivileged.
In a remark the Minister of Health and Social Development, Professor Ali Pate, said that Mr. Gates’ recognition was well deserved, considering his long-term involvement in Nigeria’s national development.
Professor Pate explained that strong support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation eradicated polio.
Appreciating the conferment of the CFR by the President, Mr. Gates acknowledged that the effort to eradicate polio was one of the Foundation’s toughest, saying however that some lessons have been learned, resulting in partnering with the traditional institution to succeed.
He said the Foundation had already rolled out HPB vaccines to reduce the 7,000 annual deaths of women from cervical cancer.
Mr. Gates pointed out that a single dose of the vaccine taken by girls ages 9-14 could give them lifetime protection.
Gates told President Tinubu that he was dedicated to cutting malnutrition and spreading vaccines that could end malaria in Nigeria.
Gates assured the President of his continued commitment to improving health in Nigeria, aiming to invest his entire wealth in this cause in the next 20 years.
Aliko Dangote, the President and Chairman of Dangote Group, the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo, executives of the Gates Foundation and Dr. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, Executive Secretary National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, attended the ceremony.
Bello Wakili
