President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has awarded national honours to dozens of pro-democracy activists, journalists, military officers and political figures whose significant roles in the actualization and restoration of democracy in Nigeria from the hands of the military remains unsung till date.
In an address to the nation on Democracy Day on Friday, Tinubu said the awards were in recognition of the sacrifices made by individuals who endured persecution, imprisonment, exile and other hardships during the fight against military rule and the actualisation of the June 12 mandate.
The President said the honourees included several retired military officers whom he described as “soldier-democrats” for their contributions to the June 12 struggle.
Among them are Major General M.A. Garba, Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa, Colonel Umar Farouk Ahmed, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, Colonel Lawan Gwadabe, Brigadier General Jonathan Ndam Temlong, Colonel Musa Shehu, Major General Chris Eze, Major General Harris Dzarma, Colonel Isa Jibrin, Major General Joseph Oshanupin.
Others are Colonel Olusegun Oloruntoba, Lieutenant Colonel Happy Kefas Bulus, Colonel J. Okai, Colonel Emmanuel Ndubueze, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Muazu, and Brigadier General Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe, who is already a recipient of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) honour.
Tinubu also announced honours for prominent democracy activists, journalists, lawyers and civil society figures, including Ayoka Lawani, Tunde Fagbenle, Oladele Alake, Olatunji Bello, Louis Odion, Segun Babatope, Sam Omatseye, Ademola Osinubi, Bola Bolawole, Lade Bonuola, Femi Kusa, Debo Adeniran, Ayo Opadokun.
Others are Ralph Obiora, Ose Osayande, Osa Director, Prof. Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Titus Mann, Joe Igbokwe, Richard Akinnola, George Mbah, Dr. Niran Malaolu, Major General Ishola Williams (rtd), Femi Aborisade, Jenkins Alumona, Gbemiga Ogunleye, Muyiwa Adekeye, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju and Ike Okonta.
The President also conferred posthumous recognition on Dr. Arthur Nwankwo and Ben Charles-Obi for their roles in advancing democratic governance in the country.
Tinubu said the awards was an acknowledgement of Nigerians who paid personal and professional prices in defence of democratic values that ensured the country’s return to civilian rule.
In a related announcement, the President paid tribute to the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, describing him as one of the architects of modern democratic Nigeria whose vision helped shape national political partnership and democratic development.
As part of efforts to immortalise the late statesman, Tinubu announced that the Federal Government had approved the revitalisation and renaming of the completed Institute of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology.
The President further disclosed that the full honours list and details of the national awards would be officially released in the coming days.
The announcement on Friday formed part of activities marking Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration, commemorating the June 12, 1993 presidential election widely regarded as the freest and fairest in the nation’s history.