THREE eminent Professors from the fields of Science, Humanities and Engineering/Technology have emerged as winners out over 40 candidates that were nominated to be bestowed with the prestigious Nigerian National Order Award, NNOA.

The award which is a celebration of the intellectual, academic and creative achievements of Nigerians expected to take place on December 5th, 2013, will have Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike who was a past winner of the award deliver lecture on “The Story Writer and National Transformation.”

The Chairman of Governing Board of the Nigerian National Merit Award, NNMA, Prof. Adegoke Oluwafeyisola, who disclosed this yesterday while unveiling the winners of the 2013 edition of the award, said that the three eminent academics emerged after rigorous selection process.

Prof. Oluwafeyisola said, “Over 40 candidates within Nigeria and in Diaspora were nominated for the award in the four disciplinary areas described by the Act, viz: Science, Medicine, Engineering/Technology and Humanities (including all other fields of human endeavor).

“At the conclusion of our very rigorous, merit driven, 3-stage assessment process, only three (3) Nigerians were approved for the Award by the Governing Board of the NNMA.” According to him, the winners of this year’s award are, Prof. Seth Sunday Ajayi who came top on science category as he has been a major figure in the international community of scholars in Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Protection and management.

In the field of humanities, Prof. Francis Abiola Irele, an author of over 100 papers that include “The Cambridge History of African and Caribbean Literature and four collections of essays, while Prof. Hillary Iyang Iyang won in the Engineering /Technology category.

The Chairman of Board Governing Council stated that in the past 35 years the merit award was instituted, non of its recommendation had been considered unworthy and there had not been any protest or rejection of those that had emerged, adding that the system put in place for the selection was not interfered by anybody.