Professor Andrawus Sawa: A National Honours Award Well-deserved -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

Professor Andrawus Sawa: A National Honours Award Well-deserved -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

Sawa is a statesman, a nationalist and a detribalized Nigeria though deeply religious but not fanatical. Indeed, our youths and politicians of today will have a lot to learn from the sterling qualities of Senator Prof. Col. Andrawus Pilasar Sawa (Retd), especially now that our youth have misplaced values and wrong role models occasioned by induced economic hardship and poverty.

There is an aphorism that states that honor should be given to him whom honor is due and that naturally should be the underlying factor behind national awards of excellence. National honors award is an annual ritual performed by the president of the country supposedly not just to reward loyalty to the government but national service and dedication. It is an occasion to reward excellence and national productivity to deserving compatriots and statesmen who have made sacrifices for national unity. On the 11th day of October, 2022 Nigerians will witness another edition of the conferment of National honors award to deserving compatriots who have either distinguished themselves in their various fields of human endeavors or perform one heroic or exceptional patriotic act or the other. Undoubtedly, one of the benefits of rewarding excellence is that it is motivational. In a society where values have been watered down and denominated in terms of Naira and Kobo, rewarding excellence would be one the right tools to inspire people to strive towards our cherished values of excellence and national ethos.

It is on the strength of this that I wish to specifically comment on the national honors award of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) that will be conferred on Professor Andrawus Pilasar Sawa. To many observers and analysts, the national honors award is long overdue for somebody of the stature of Andrawus Sawa. He is a rare gem who has distinguished himself in many fields of human endeavors – from the military to politics, academics to business and to religion. It is therefore not surprising that he is now being recognized with the conferment of national honor award that is clearly overdue.

Born in Garkida in 1942, he attended Church of Brethren Mission Primary School and Government Secondary School Yola where he graduated in 1962 before his enlistment into the Nigerian Army in 1962 where he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1965. While in the Army, he attended many in-service training at home and abroad and served in different capacities and command positions, participated in the war to keep the country united between 1967 and 1970 and voluntarily retired at the rank of a colonel in 1976 to pursue a higher calling. He ventured into the murky waters of partisan politics and thereafter during the Second Republic, he was elected a senator representing Gongola central on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1983. Sawa also contested for the office of the president of the country on the platform of the United Nigerian Peoples’ Congress (UNPC) during the botched General Sani Abacha convoluted transition period.

Out of politics and academics, his vocation is religious and humanitarian services. He is a philanthropist and the founder and General Overseer of Gracious Agape Ministry, a Not for Profit Organization dedicated to the service of the widows, orphans and the vulnerable groups amongst us. He is a life member of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN), a life member Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship (FGBMF) International and a foundation member of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). He is also a fellow of several professional bodies. He has many academic and societal recognition including traditional titles. He has a doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Christian Counseling Psychology from the Mission Evangel University USA in 2006 and has many publications in academic journals to his credit and has authored and co-authored many books. He also has the traditional tile of Masani of Adamawa and the Ezi-Enyi 1 Of Mbaise. He is also a business man who has investments in different sectors including real estate business and a public policy contractor whose proposals and advice have led to the establishment of relevant institutions of governance like the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Thus, Adrawus Pilasar Sawa is a man of many parts who has distinguished himself creditably in the fields of soldiering, politics, business, academics, religious services and philanthropy and humanitarian services. He is a rare breed. Soldiering was his childhood fantasy, pasturing was his calling and vocation, politics was a call to service and a desire to fight for justice and his foray into academics was an adventure and desire to seek higher knowledge to be able to creditably discharge his obligations. He is restlessly workaholic and those who have had the privilege of working with him can attest to his virtues of hard work, perseverance, relentless quest for excellence, honesty and integrity.

Sawa is a statesman, a nationalist and a detribalized Nigeria though deeply religious but not fanatical. Indeed, our youths and politicians of today will have a lot to learn from the sterling qualities of Senator Prof. Col. Andrawus Pilasar Sawa (Retd), especially now that our youth have misplaced values and wrong role models occasioned by induced economic hardship and poverty. Our politician will learn the ideals of politics without bitterness and politics with sound political philosophy.

Patience is a virtue. Prof. Sawa has exhibited the virtues of patience, courage and selflessness that public and aspiring public office holders should imbibe.
Categoría:
Política