President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated writer, poet and journalist, Ikeogu Oke, for winning the 2017 edition of the Nigerian Prize for Literature, with his “The Heresiad’’, after an intensive process of adjudication.

Buhari in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina in Abuja on Tuesday, commended Oke’s passion and commitment to lifting the genre of poetry in the country.

According to Buhari, poetry is an art that many shy away from due to the required discipline and focus, reflective thinking and unique style of writing.

The President also felicitated with the winners of the science prize whose revolutionary work in reducing the spread and management of malaria would continue to inspire other researchers on the possibility of living without the ailment in the future.

Buhari also extolled the efforts of Ikeoluwapo Ajayi, Ayodele Jegede and Bidemi Yusuf on “Improving Home and Community Management of Malaria’’.

He also lauded them for providing the “Evidence Base’’ and the “Multifaceted Efforts at Malaria Control in Research: Management of Malaria of Various Grades and Mapping Artemisinin Resistance’’ by Olugbenga Mokuolu.

The President congratulated Chukwuma Agubata for his research on “Novel lipid microparticles for effective delivery of Artemether antimalarial drug using a locally-sourced Irvingia fat from nuts of Irvingia gabonensis var excelsa (ogbono).”

He equally commended the Nigerian Liquefied Gas company for the sponsorship and the Advisory Board for the diligent work of showcasing the country’s hardworking and talented individuals every year.