Nigeria’s immediate past Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, on Sunday, made history as the first-ever Nigerian to be recognised and honoured by the Japanese Government with the award of The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star.
Udoma, an accomplished lawyer and administrator, was the only Nigerian among the list of foreign recipients of the prestigious award issued in the name of the Japanese Emperor in recognition of his contributions towards strengthening bilateral relations and promoting friendship between Japan and Nigeria.
Udoma was singled out for the 2019 Autumn Imperial Decorations by the Emperor of Japan for serving as a strong bridge of friendship between Japan and Nigeria
A statement made available to Vanguard on Sunday by the Japanese Embassy in Abuja explained that the award was bestowed on the former minister who had also served as Honorary Consul of Japan in Lagos from 2011 to 2015, for his transparent leadership and high level of integrity.
The statement said: “Senator Udoma Udo Udoma has played an important role for many years in improving the Japan-Nigeria relationship. In his role as the Minister of Budget and National Planning of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 2015 to 2019, Senator Udoma has been a strong proponent of Japan’s official development assistance to Nigeria.
“In 2015, Japan was the 3rd largest donor in Nigeria, and a number of development cooperation projects related to health and infrastructure were implemented during his tenure. Udoma’s contributions also extended to the promotion of bilateral trade and Japanese investment in Nigeria as a way to create jobs and generate wealth for both economies.
“Senator Udoma’s role in deepening the economic and social ties between Japan and Nigeria was also prominent when he served as the Honorary Consul of Japan at Lagos from 2011 to 2015. He supported the economic relationship through closer business-to-business ties. This role contributed to the advancement and expansion of Japanese companies’ presence and investment in Nigeria,” the Japanese Government said.
Source: Vanguardngr