Mike Adenuga receives France’s highest national honour

Emmanuel Macron, president of France, has conferred his country’s highest national honour on Mike Adenuga, Globacom chairman.

This makes Adenuga the first Nigerian to be decorated with the award of Commander of the Legion of Honour.

Explaining why the French government decided to confer the honour on Adenuga, Macron said he is “a true role model for Africa” who has contributed immensely to the growth of the African and French economy.

Macron applauded Adenuga on his promotion of the French language and culture in Nigeria, and also commended Bella Disu, Adenuga’s daughter who conceived, coordinated and executed the Alliance Française project.

The French president, who is on a visit to Nigeria, said Nigeria has what it needs to surmount all challenges it may be facing now.

This,  he said,  is the “incomparable spirit of entrepreneur, tenacity and ability to think out of the box”.

Macron bestowed the award on Adenuga at the inauguration of the new Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The audience at the event included Akinwumi Ambode, governor of Lagos, Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps.

At present, Adenuga holds the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nigeria’s highest honour for a civilian who is not in government and has Ghana’s highest civil award, the Companion of the Star of Ghana (CSG).