Former President Goodluck Jonathan, First Lady Aisha Buhari and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar are to be honoured with the West Africa Knowledge Economic Organisation (WAKEOrg) awards for making Nigeria and Africa proud.

Also penciled down for the prestigious West African regional awards for their service to the nation and humanity are Chairman of BUA Group, Rabiu Abdulsamad; six outstanding state governors, three ministers as well as leaders of the two apex leaders of the National Assembly.

Prof. OBC Nwolise, Spokesperson and Chairman, WAKEOrg Award Selection Committee, said in a statement that the outstanding personalities were being recognised for “their bravery and independent mind to save Nigeria and deepen democracy, not minding the associated risks”.

While Jonathan will be honoured for his leadership wisdom and promotion of democratic ideals in Africa, Abubakar will be recognised for entrepreneurship and defence of democracy.

On the other hand, the First Lady would being honoured for her advocacy, activism as well as her strength of character.

The six outstanding governors for the WAKEOrg awards are Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Willie Obiano (Anambra), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Samuel Orthom (Benue) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto).

Also to be honoured are the Ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and Petroleum Resources (state), Timipre Sylva, while Senate President, Dr Ahmed Lawan and House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, also made the honours’ list.

Among the youths being recognized for their creativity and leadership skills are Michael Ajereh (a.k.a, Don Jazzy) and Abudlrasheed Bawa, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Other successful entrepreneurs on the awards list are Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chief Cletus Ibeto, Chief Valentine Ozigbo and Chief Obi Iyiegbu, while the Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Achebe, will be honoured in the traditional rulers category.

Awards for Deep Spiritual Knowledge and Competence in Prophecy would go to Dr Chris Okafor, Senior Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin and Apostle Johnson Suleman.

On the criteria for the awards, Prof. Nwolise said that the organisation watched out for individuals who were outstanding in practical application of knowledge in their specific fields of endeavour.

“We also watched out for political leaders in governance that demonstrated strategic thinking and planning for the betterment of the people they govern by executing people-oriented services and projects.

“Citizens that have made Nigeria and Africa proud through industrial manufactures, protection of lives and property as well as capacity building for the less privileged, especially youths, were also on the watch list,” Prof. Nwolise said.

He said that the recognition would enable the recipients to generate the energy to do more work in service to society and humanity and encourage others to offer honest, selfless, dedicated, humane and patriotic services to nation and humanity in whatever positions they found themselves.

WAKEOrg is an independent sub-regional organisation for public-private cooperation committed to improving the state of West African economies, pushing for new frontiers in smart economic and social agenda.

WAKEOrg also has partnership endorsements of Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Department of Education, Science and Culture of the ECOWAS Commission.

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