By CHINELO OBOGO
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has made history again by being the recipient of the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership instituted by Obafemi Awolowo Foundation for people who have imbibed the core values that the late sage represented. Announcing Soyinka’s name yesterday, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who was the Chairman of the Selection Committee said Soyinka scored the highest mark for the criteria slated for the nominees.
“It gives me pleasure to announce that, after careful consideration, the Selection Committee came to unanimous conclusion that of all the nominees presented before it, the individual adjudged to possess the highest mark for the award is Professor Wole Soyinka,” Anyaoku declared. He further informed that appropriate citation of Soyinka would be given at the award ceremony, which was scheduled to hold in March next year to coincide with the late sage’s birthday anniversary. Anyaoku explained that the prize was relevant, going by the lack of good leadership that had become the lot of some countries on the continent regretting that, “dearth of quality leadership has been the major challenge facing Nigeria in particular and the continent of Africa in general.”
While explaining that the biennial prize was structured to follow a process of nomination and subsequent screening, Anyaoku spelt out some qualities expected of nominees. Nominees for the prize are expected to have demonstrated, to a substantial degree, the attributes considered to have characterized Chief Awolowo’s leadership style, which include integrity, credibility, discipline, courage, selflessness, accountability, tenacity of purpose, visionary and people-oriented leadership, as well as respect for the rule of law and press freedom,” stated the selection committee chairman.
The Foundation, which was set up in 1992, according to Anyaoku was to among other things, “serve as the custodian of the Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s intellectual legacy.”
SUN, this award should have better read thus ” Soyinka emerged the winner for maiden award on Nigeria leadership Prize. Next time don,t attach that name i saw above (Awo). That name propagated leadership of tribalism in Nigeria. Soyinka is not a tribalist and should not be bestowed with any award that is tribally oriented.
This award should have been given to people like EBENEZAR BABATOPE. He is an agents of tribalism in Nigeria/saborturers.
Many award should be gvn 2 he is fan and the best novelist
@ oweri, define a tribalist and see where people like Late Ojukwu, Achebe, and even yourself belong. It is always better to let charity begin from home. I will rather be a tribalist to make my tribe grow if other tribes will slow me down.
Omotayo shut up
@ Omotayo Oyeyipo, our late sage Ikemba Ojukwo loves every tribes in Nigeria before he died. Can you lay any facts linking him to such terrible attitudes? Go straight to his will, he gave out some portion of his assets to a lady born to him by a Hausa/Fulani woman. Are you cleared now? The case of our prof emeritus Achebe, a literary giant of international repute have never being adjudged as a tribalist. He was only editing his novels without fear or favour. It,s only u read his works and acquire more knowledge or u refuse to read and remain static to your own detriment. Can anyone call such a man tribalist ? The answer is capital no. Look at my humble self, have you ever seen such an immoral tendency in my person? Pls always be guided by truth, it pays a lot in someone,s life, thanks and God bless you.
Soyinka was never a disciple of chief awolowo. Soyinka is a humanist/nationalist, a friend of Ojukwu and Biafra. This award is a good image-cleaning exercise for chief Obafemi Awolowo.
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IGbos are always calling other tribes name and insulting them, and yet the most tribilist group in nigeria are the Igbos.
@ owerri you are the most despicable commentator I have ever seen. You displayed a very low IQ. It amused me you called the biafran warlord that led your people to an ill-prepared war that cost Igbo race a whooping 2millions lives despite advice from people like Awolowo who you so despised, but had to fly to meet Ojukwu for a change of heart. A man who disowned his own son but threw large portion of his will to a woman’s lap. Look at his end, nothing meaningful to learn from. You are such a shameless moron. That Ojukwu gave out a portion of his wealth to his own daughter means he’s not a tribalist is very hilarious. The more you people tried to rubbish Awolowo, the more he is liked, cos your hatred has helped the truth to come to limelight. Awolowo, did his best for his race, Abiola did his best not only for his race but across Nigeria, these people did not sacrifice 2million souls of their precious race on the altar of stupidity fighting a war they were not prepared for. They were both molested, imprisoned but did not roll out the war drums. They are heroes, they are the sage. Soyinka deserves awards from those that appreciate his contributions, that should not be your fucking business, Amebo! Aproko!
What legacy did Ojukwu leave for the Igbos but trails of woes and regrets. Look at Awolowo and Abiola children, they are making impact on the society, running NGOs not sitting on their past or whipping tribal sentiments, they have learned to move on. The more you whip unfounded tribal sentiments the more damage you cause to your political future in this country. Pls go if you want to go. Let the South East go! Enough of this spilling of hatred against other tribes. This is 21st century, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, that we were better off in the 60s are now way ahead of us, we are still sorting out the bitterness of 1960s. Shame on all of you that refused to let Nigeria move forward. Anybody or region that is fed up should go! Stupid people ruled by corrupt leaders.
@ Mamaseh or whatever you call yourself…If i may ask you.. without Lagos which were jointly developed by federal govt and Igbos which other state in SW can be compared with any state in the SE. Is it the dusty town of Ondo, bushy osun, shrine laden Ogun or kwara state which you people has already sold to the northerns or oyo state that is being controled by tokyo and co. The problem with you guys from sw is envy and tribalism. Despite the evil and atrocities perpetrated against the igbos by a certain mr. Awolowo yet it didnt stop us from moving forward. They gave us 20pounds thinking that we will remain in poverty but it has turn out to be a blessings to us.
You cant offend the igbos and go scott free…You can go and ask Gowon about that for better explanation.
All the same congrats to Prof Wole…you are indeed a detribalised Nigerian unlike a certain late awolowo and his pikin mamase.
http://www.yorubaliketribalism.com
Point of correction I’m not from Yoruba. I’m from Rivers state. Your conclusions lacked intellectual merits. How much was Ilorin sold to Hausa? There is no part of Nigeria that u can justify the huge fed revenue being pocketed by corrupt leaders except cross rivers during Donald duke and Akwa ibom under Akpabio, also Lagos under Fashola. Others are reither just ‘managing’ or looting outrightly including SEast. So stop undue comparison. Are we as a country where we should be in terms of developmental achievement?
All these you can’t offend Igbos and go scot free are just childish ranting. i don’t know how it translates into meaningful development. What about the atrocities the Igbos too have commited, the millions of Nigerians that are being fed with counterfeited, contaminated, relabeled expired substandard products? Nobody is crying wolf but rather we saw it as a national challege which Akinyuli did her best to eliminate but same Igbos tried to terminate her lifr. What do u say to that?
If you want other tribe to love and respect you the earlier you reciprocate the gesture the better for you or what Christian values do you preach a whole Jewish descendant that refused to let go her past. You guys have to put up unna thinking cap and pls let Nigeria move on. To the rest of us who are still within the forced amalgamation, our challenge is corrupt leadership who are fleeting our commonwealth and enriching themselves. This is the monster we need to focus our energy on and not some childish ranting of who won the war!
@ Joe: Point of correction I’m not from Yoruba. I’m from Rivers state. Your conclusions lacked intellectual merits. How much was Ilorin sold to Hausa? There is no part of Nigeria that u can justify the huge fed revenue being pocketed by corrupt leaders except cross rivers during Donald duke and Akwa ibom under Akpabio, also Lagos under Fashola. Others are reither just ‘managing’ or looting outrightly including SEast. So stop undue comparison. Are we as a country where we should be in terms of developmental achievement?
All these you can’t offend Igbos and go scot free are just childish ranting. i don’t know how it translates into meaningful development. What about the atrocities the Igbos too have commited, the millions of Nigerians that are being fed with counterfeited, contaminated, relabeled expired substandard products? Nobody is crying wolf but rather we saw it as a national challege which Akinyuli did her best to eliminate but same Igbos tried to terminate her lifr. What do u say to that?
If you want other tribe to love and respect you the earlier you reciprocate the gesture the better for you or what Christian values do you preach a whole Jewish descendant that refused to let go her past. You guys have to put up unna thinking cap and pls let Nigeria move on. To the rest of us who are still within the forced amalgamation, our challenge is corrupt leadership who are fleeting our commonwealth and enriching themselves. This is the monster we need to focus our energy on and not some childish ranting of who won the war!
@ Mamaseh, u are a typical south west man. Stop that your British style of arsenal against Hitler. No One next to our own backyard will ever address us in such manner. It was the same antics you people used against our neighbours in the 60′s but now they are more intelligent and more focused than u guys now. U can not continue to cause disaffections between our people again, own very well from ur hideout, using other people,s names to comment trash wouldn,t do you any favour rather more damage to you, stupor. I will continue to say it at any given moment that prof Wole Soyinka is not a tribalist and they should inwardly award such Prize to those apostles of tribalist like EBENEZAR BABATOPE, take it or you leave it. How many of Abiola children and that of mr Awolowo are progressing more than the children of our late sage Ikemba Ojukwo? Are you proud to say one of Abiola son that embark on fraudulent business and even his matter is still argued in the law court can be a child any reasonal tribe will be proud of, after all what their father left for them? Tell me that Awo child ie prominent today in Nigeria, you are only mouthing, useless man like you.
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@ Owerri: That’s the problem with the Igbos, it’s only when one starts brainwashing you with lies that one makes sense. Are you the one that will tell me where I come from just cos you av ur greedy eyes set on the crude oil in the South-south. We are ur brother so long as the oil keeps flowing. How many of ur properties were reclaimed in PHC after the civil war? Not that I’m in support of that, but that should tell u that we are not the same. This notion of dragging the south-south into Biafra will not work, not in this life or the one to come! Who will leave with Igbos? God forbid! And thank God that biafra failed, Ojukwu would have been another sit-tight military dictator. But u guys are blinded to the truth that Ojukwu invested part of his family wealth in the war for selfish reasons. If Ojukwu so loved the Igbos, how many lives did he helped after the war? Can he be described to be a philanthropist? How many scholarships did he grant to less privileged but promising youths? You people call other tribes names but u are worse than shit!
@mamaseh, you talked about the taking over of igbo properties, and the crude in the south- south. May i remind you that oil is no more an issue in nigeria. Cos oil has just been discovered in anambra, and it has long been available in abia state. There is even abundance of oil in some parts of the south-west. The abandoned property issue. What have you people gained from it, you people can not still compete with ndi-igbo financially and economically. Your foolish leaders like saro wiwa and adaka boro, worked for the nigerian government as use-and-dump servants. Where are they today? Saro wiwa was hanged to death like a thief. Adaka boro was shot dead in battle, after having been use by gowons government. You were right by saying we are not the same. Cos we refuse to be slaves to hausas, like you fools have chosen to be forever.
Omotayo oyeyipo, soyinka should not in any way be compared to awolowo. Infact i will want this award to be named after him. Soyinka is a detribalised nigerian, and someone who is not afraid to stand on the side of truth, even though the truth is being told against his brother. Soyinka went to prison for the sake of biafra, he was the only one that told gowon to his face that what he was doing to biafrans, was pure genocide and injustice. And you said ojukwu is a tribalist. I dont understand what you mean by saying that ojukwu is a tribalist. For your information, it is on record that ojukwu made sure that chukwuma nzeogwu’s coup failed. Ojukwu released awolowo from prison. Ojukwu invested his businesses in other parts of nigeria e.g. The north and the west. How many yorubas and hausas can invest their properties in the east? None. Igbos as a tribe in this country are the only tribe that has truly shown the spirit of one-nigeria, because thay are in every region of this country, developing, and investing in this regions as if it were their home. Other regions are just paying lip service to our unity. If all this deeds by ndi igbo, is what you describe as being tribalistic. Then you may not be with your brains. Am really sorry to say.
@ mamaseh, you accusation against ndi igbo, as regards counterfeit drugs is born-out of your hatred for ndi -igbo. Counterfeiting of drugs can not be tied to igbos alone. Cos its on record that in the south-west, two yoruba guys were prosecuted by nafdac, for manufacturing a poisonous drug, called ( my pikin). A drug that sent many infants to their early graves. What do you have to say about this. Mr mamaseh, you can’t even prove or point to any fake drug, made by igbos. And did akunyili show you any igbo man that wanted to kill her?