A coalition of civil society groups, on Thursday, honoured President Bola Tinubu for his contributions to the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
The award was part of the efforts to recognise the role of President Tinubu and other leading figures in the struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC), a coalition of about 135 Civil Society and Community-based Organisations, also honoured Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; former General Secretary, National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Chief Ayo Opadokun, and NADECO chieftain Hon Wale Osun.
The group also gave awards to a private business organisation, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), for peace-building, conflict prevention and community empowerment in Nigeria.
The group described PINL as the pillar of job creation, peace and conflict prevention in the Niger Delta region. The company leads the campaign against violence and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria, thereby increasing the oil economy fortune in the country.
The event held at the Airport Hotel in Lagos with over 800 people from across Nigeria in attendance. Prof. Wole Soyinka sent a representative while Chief Opadokun; Prince Onuwaje; the Director General, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), Mr Seye Oyeleye; Mr Babatunde Ogala, SAN, and others were present at the event.
A Special Adviser to President, Mr Tunde Rahman, who received the award on behalf of the President, praised the NHRC for recognising the role Tinubu played in the June 12 struggle.
He said the President was aware of the historic responsibility placed on his shoulders to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
The coalition said each of the awardees has made inestimable sacrifices for democracy and liberty in Nigeria right from their twenties.
In the speech signed by NHRC officials, Mallam Kudu Mohammed, Taiwo Adeleye and Noel Ebiri, they said the award was part of activities marking the 31 years after the annulment of the June 12 presidential election.
The group said it was honouring the heroes and non-state actors that were helping democracy to survive as to serve as inspiration to Nigerians and also to remind the people that Nigeria must never return to military rule. It said in the face of the challenges facing the country, democracy is better than the most malevolent military rule.
“There would have been no democracy without June 12. Nigerians made sacrifices. People laid down their lives for peace and prosperity of Nigeria. Many people were killed. Many were maimed. It is important to continue to reward these heroes to let them know Nigeria value their past and present contributions,” the group said.
It noted that Nigerians were passing through very difficult moments characterised by high cost of living, corruption, ineptitude, insecurity and growing number of economically displaced people. The group said it hoped the award would stimulate the President to listen to the hues and cries of Nigerians in order for him to address their fears and meet their aspirations.
“The June 12 Anniversary is significant. Ironically it coincides with the one year anniversary of President Tinubu.
“Nigerians expect a radical change from Tinubu’s government because he is the first candidate from the human rights constituency that has ever emerged as the President of the country. Nigerians are looking up to him to bring the country back from the brink,” NHRC said.
The NHRC was established in 2007 as a coalition of 135 civil society, community-based and human rights organisations spread across the 36 states of the Federation. The NHRC has played very important interventionist roles since its creation.
The Green Peoples Environmental Network (GREPNET), a key partner in the project, was established in the year 2000 as a leading pro-green environmental group.
GREPNET is a member of International Alliance on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forest (IAITPTF) based in Thailand. GREPNET had represented West African Indigenous Peoples at the United Nations (UN) Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples.
The NHRC and GREPNET have made tremendous contributions to human rights development, livelihood and environmental justice in Nigeria.
Many members of the NHRC have observer status with the United Nations, (UN), the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The NHRC has been distinguished for its efforts in building democracy and human liberty in Nigeria, spanning over two decades.
