Japanese Ambassador Honors Prof. Ogbonna with Prestigious Award
The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, has bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon upon Professor Chukwuma Ogbonna in recognition of his significant contributions to academic cooperation and mutual understanding between Japan and Nigeria in the field of agriculture.
The award ceremony took place in Abuja on Saturday, coinciding with the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Foreign Ministerial meeting. Ambassador Kazuyoshi commended Prof. Ogbonna for his relentless efforts in fostering international collaboration, establishing partnerships between Japanese and Nigerian universities, and facilitating research and student exchange programs.
In his acceptance speech, Prof. Ogbonna expressed deep gratitude to the Japanese government and its people. He affirmed his commitment to further strengthening academic linkages between Japan and Nigeria.
Enugu State Governor Mr. Peter Mba extended his congratulations to Prof. Ogbonna, calling him a “shining light” and an exemplary figure for Enugu indigenes. Represented by Dr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu, Commissioner for Health, the governor also expressed interest in pursuing further collaborations with the Japanese government to advance the state’s development.
Prof. Ogbonna, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nigeria, is among the distinguished recipients of the Japanese government’s 2024 Spring Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals.
