By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday hailed Dr. Tunji Funsho for making the prestigious list of the 2020 TIME Magazine International’s 100 most influential people in the world.
Dr Funsho, a distinguished cardiologist, and former District Governor of Rotary International, is the chairman of The Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee of Rotary International.
The president said the fact that his name came up for global recognition was an attestation to “the good work you did for Nigeria and Africa, in getting us to be free from wild polio virus.”
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In a statement titled, “I’m glad you are being recognised globally, President Buhari tells Dr. Tunji Funsho, champion of polio eradication in Nigeria and Africa,” Femi Adesina, media Adviser to the president said, “President Muhammadu Buhari is delighted that among four Nigerians listed in 2020 TIME 100, is Dr Abdulrahman Tunji Funsho, Chairman of The Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee of Rotary International.”
the statement further said, “The President expresses joy that Dr Funsho, a distinguished cardiologist, and former District Governor of Rotary International, came up for global recognition, saying it is an attestation to “the good work you did for Nigeria and Africa, in getting us to be free from wild polio virus.”
“President Buhari believes that the recognition by TIME is just one of the many accolades that will come Dr Funsho’s way, “having fought a yeoman’s battle to rid Nigeria and Africa of polio, which once disabled 75,000 African children every single year.”
Other three Nigerians in the 2020 TIME 100 Roll of Honour are: Mr Tony Elumelu, economist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, Chairman, Heirs Holdings, United Bank of Africa, and Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation; Giannis Antetokounmpo (a Greek rendition of Adetokunbo) a star basketball player born to Nigerian parents; and Tomi Adeyemi, bestselling Nigerian-American novelist and creative writing coach.