Recently, Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, scored another ‘first’ by being the recipient of the maiden Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, instituted by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation for people, who have imbibed the core values that the late sage represented.
RAZAQ BAMIDELE, reports the politics, intrigues, thrills and frills that attended the announcement of the recipient’s name. Background The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation was founded in 1992 to serve as the custodian of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s intellectual legacy. It was established as an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organisation dedicated to immortalising the democratic and development-oriented ideals of the late sage.
The Foundation has, over the years, sought to actualise its mission-mandate through various activities, which include the periodic hosting of Dialogues, designed to examine critical issues of national concern with a view to proposing viable strategies for their solution. The Prize So, in a communiqué issued after one of such Dialogues in July, 2011, themed “Transformational Leadership and Good Governance: Lessons from the Awolowo Example,” it was realised that one of the greatest challenges, facing the country and, indeed, African countries today was dearth of good leadership.
It was against this background that one of the major recommendations of the special Dialogue was that the Foundation should institute an Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership. The Prize, according to the recommendation, was to encourage, recognise, reward and celebrate excellence in Nigerian leadership. The Prize consists of a medal, a certificate and a plaque.
The emphasis is on the intrinsic value of the award, which in itself, not only confers considerable honour and recognition on the recipient, it would also serve as a strong incentive for the pursuit of excellence in leadership and good governance in Nigeria. Nomination In order to make the prestigious biennial national award worth its while, the Foundation now set up a Selection Committee that comprised people of high integrity in towns across all the geo-political zones of the country.
The Prize was then structured to follow a rigorous process of nomination, and subsequent screening. Members of the Selection Committee, which had the former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, as Chairman, included Justice Muhammed Uwais, Professor Akin Mabogunje, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Olorogun Felix Ibru, Professor O. O. Akinkugbe and Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi. Others were Professor Anya O. Anya, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, Professor Adetokunbo Lucas, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Professor (Mrs.) Funmi Soetan, Mr. Bola Akingbade and Mr. Niyi Adegbonmire.
The Committee was ably assisted in its work by the Foundation’s Executive Director, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu. Criteria for nomination The criteria set for eligible nominees for the Prize had it that they were expected to to have demonstrated, to a substantial degree, the attributes considered to have characterised Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s leadership style.
This, according to the Committee, included integrity, credibility, discipline, courage, selfishness, tenacity of purpose, visionary and people-oriented leadership as well as respect for the rule of law and press freedom. Maiden Prize In line with the relevant guidelines for selection of candidates for the award, the Selection Committee Chairman, Anyaoku said: “The call for nomination for the maiden Prize was published from June 29 to 30 of September, 2012.”
He added that at the close of nomination, an impressive number of nominations was received, just as he thanked “all those who sent nominations for consideration. He acknowledged that many of those nominees were eminent persons, who had made tremendous contributions in various spheres of national and international life. Unveiling the maiden recipient Announcing the name of the first ever recipient of the prestigious Award, Anyaoku, who was the Chairman of the Selection Committee, said the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, scored the highest degree of marks for the criteria slated for the nominees.
“It gives me immense pleasure to announce that, after very careful consideration, the Selection Committee came to a unanimous conclusion that, of all the nominees presented before it, the individual adjudged to possess, to the highest degree, the attributes for the award, and is, therefore, the first ever recipient of Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, is Professor Wole Soyinka,” Anyaoku declared. He further informed that an appropriate citation of Soyinka would be given at the actual award ceremony, which was scheduled to hold in March to coincide with the late Awo’s birthday anniversary.
Justifying his Committee’s choice, Anyaoku had this to say: “Suffice it to say at this point, however, that Professor Soyinka has, in various ways, demonstrated many of the core values associated with Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and which this Prize is meant to encourage and reward.” Kudos and knocks Although, the unveiling of Soyinka’s name as the first recipient of the Prize, expectedly, was welcome with a standing ovation, there were some people within the audience, who expressed apprehension about the so-called rigorous selection process.
A journalist from ThisDay newspapers, Omololu Ogunmade, challenged the committee to mention names of other nominees to really confirm that they were so high up there to give Soyinka’s name the required competition that might have really tasked the committee during the screening.
According to the journalist, the choice of Soyinka was an easy one because of his larger than life national and international status, suspecting that “Professor Soyinka may not even value this latest Prize going by what he has achieved in life.” Toeing the line of Ogunmade was an activist, former Senator and Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organization, Afenifere, Dr. Femi Okurounmu, who was of the conviction that the search could have covered people that had served in public offices.
He reasoned that since Soyinka has never held any elective office in his life, he may not be judged to have scored the highest marks in leadership. The two posers prompted Anyaoku to spring up to his feet in defence of his Committee. Though he refused to give the names of other nominees, he read a purported text message from Soyinka describing the Prize to be the la crème of all the awards and Prizes he has ever won in life.
From whatever angle one may want to look at it, Professor Wole Soyinka has made another history by being the recipient of the maiden Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership.
SOYINKA U A AN HONORABLE MAN.. DO NOT ALLOW POLITICIANS TO RUBBISH U AND UR IMAGE.. TAKE AWARD OF A MAN U WENT TO PRISON BECAUSE OF HIS ACT OF GENOCIDE AGAINST IGBO PEOPLE MAY HUNT U AT THE LATER DAYS.. I LOVE U ,I RESPECT U THATS WHY I AM ADVISING U ON THIS.. I MAY NOT BE HIGHLY EDUCATED LIKE U BUT ..DO NOT FORGET THAT U WENT TO PRISON IN PROTEST AGAINST THE POLICY OF THE SAME MAN THEY HAVE ASKED U TO COME AND TAKE HIS AWARD.. MMMM .. THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR U PERSONALITY AND FOR UR REPUTATION ALL OVER THE WORLD… KEEP AWAY FROM POLITICIANS.. THEY ARE DANGEROUS..THEY WILL BRING U TO UR KNEES AND MESS U UP THEN U NOBLE PRIZE WILL BE LIKE CASSAVA LEAF.. WHAT IS AWOLOWO LEADERSHIP IF I MAY ASK.. HE WAS A VERY DANGEROUS AND BAD MAN ..HE LEFT A LEGACY THAT PUT TWO BROTHERS..IGBO AND YORUBA INTO ETERNAL ENEMITY AND PEOPLE ARE STAGING AN AWARD ON HIS NAME THEN CALLED A DECENT BUT PURE AND PRESTIGOUS PERSON LIKE YOU WOLE SOYINKA OF ALL PEOPLE TO COME AND TAKE AWO AWARD… HIM..I GUESS THIS IS A FUTURE TRAP FOR U… BE CAREFUL..
SOYINKA U R AN HONORABLE MAN.. DO NOT ALLOW POLITICIANS TO RUBBISH U AND UR IMAGE.. TAKING AWARD OF A MAN U WENT TO PRISON BECAUSE OF HIS ACT OF GENOCIDE AGAINST IGBO PEOPLE MAY HUNT U AT THE LATER DAYS.. I LOVE U ,I RESPECT U THATS WHY I AM ADVISING U ON THIS.. I MAY NOT BE HIGHLY EDUCATED LIKE U BUT ..DO NOT FORGET THAT U WENT TO PRISON IN PROTEST AGAINST THE POLICY OF THE SAME MAN THEY HAVE ASKED U TO COME AND TAKE HIS AWARD.. MMMM .. THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR UR PERSONALITY AND FOR REPUTATION ALL OVER THE WORLD SIR… KEEP AWAY FROM POLITICIANS.. THEY ARE DANGEROUS..THEY WILL BRING U TO UR KNEES AND MESS U UP THEN UR NOBLE PRIZE WILL BE LIKE CASSAVA LEAF.. WHAT IS AWOLOWO LEADERSHIP IF I MAY ASK.. HE WAS A VERY DANGEROUS AND BAD MAN ..HE LEFT A LEGACY THAT PUT TWO BROTHERS..IGBO AND YORUBA INTO ETERNAL ENEMITY AND PEOPLE ARE STAGING AN AWARD ON HIS NAME THEN CALLED A DECENT BUT PURE AND PRESTIGOUS PERSON LIKE YOU WOLE SOYINKA OF ALL PEOPLE TO COME AND TAKE AWO AWARD… HMMMM..I GUESS THIS IS A FUTURE TRAP FOR U… BE CAREFUL..
A man of integrity like Soyinka must not accept prize from a genocidaire like Awolowo.Mr.Wole must preserve his image at all cost.We’re watching him.
These regional leaders has made their legacy of their leadership era in the history of Nigeria which was not compatible with the challenges and required qualities of a National leader. The economy and political situations of Nigeria which was negatively affecting the peace and unity of this country required the promotion of a qualities of a National leaders in the intrest of Unity, peace, progress and Understanding. Nigeria only has two oustanding Leaders that possessed these qualities (1) Chief/Rev OluseguN ObasanjO (2) EmperoR IbrahiM BabangidA, these two leaders are National leaders, their Leadership achievement, vision and services was not regional their family lifestyle was also a quality of National leader so promoting and fostering the National Leadership qualities of these two HEROS is indirectly celebrations of the regional Leader. If truely we need peace and Unity, we should let the regional Leaders (rest in peace) because promoting National Leaders is celebration of regional Leaders. Condeming National Leaders is killing the future generation.
I stand to be corrected, but am yet to see the connection between awo and soyinka. If we say Fela Kuti price for leadership, that may be closer to the fact.Lol
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i would be more delighted if one can just keep his mouth shut and stop giving people wrong impressions about awolowo whose acts has liberated the whole nigerian from biafra, why not just praise him instead of slagging a man who single handedly frustated the tokens of ojukwu with a single trick that has made odumegwu to abscond from the war.if a man declared a war against a unified nation trying to distabilised by calling for a regional independent and we have a man who knew what next to do is change the national curreccy and stop feeding the enemies of the nation. what do you call such man? a genocide. and what do you call the one that started the war? a war monger, thats what ojukwu was @truthmustbesaid
@taiwo oladipupo U mean after 43 years Soyinka have now realized that his reason of protest and unfortunate imprisonment by Gowon and AWO as at then was a mistake ?? and now have to correct that mistake by taking award for the same act he protested against ??? well if that is so it could also be linked as a man with two heads just like Awo before the war.. but God forbit..i will never ever see Soyinka as such man of two heads because he is a real human and i love him ..as an intellectual he knows that if he collect such award it will amount to a double standard on his person and could hunt him at later days.. have u seen any igbo man talk rubbish about Soyinka before even in this issue of award ?? never, that is to tell u how educated Igbos are but can u see what ur people of Yoruba as saying about Achebe ..even those Yoruba pple who call themselves educated ?? including politicians ?? that is to tell u the difference in igbo and Yoruba ppls.. Igbos are decent people and does not react any how.. My message to u is that since u and ur leaders of today is still in full support of Awo’s act of genocide .. we all can now see that history is about or is even repeating it’self and as u can also see someone else is now in the position of Awo as at today… we’re watching..
Another chameleonic image lauding for a War Criminal.
Soyinka is a good acamedician but no leader. Since he got his nobel prize, how many literature has arisen from nigeria or mentored by him. He led frsc and died after he left. A leader without a successor is failure.
@Prince T, how many successors have you? Some people don’t have much successors because people think they are intimidating like Soyinka. Most people do not want to learn either.
My job is actually to help people discover their purpose in life. Do you mean dat since 1982 aoyinka has not found someone in a population of 150 million to mentor. What a shame. I know a prof in finland that has used his influnce to bring 6 phD students to finland. Wat soyinka doing. I am not as great as soyinka. Till today we see pople that evolved out of awo. His legacy is here for us to see. Self glory is only wat we see in soyinka
What legacy have you?, yes you done to your brothers, sisters and people of your village, compare to the legacy of Wole Soyinka to Abeokuta, ile lfe, the whole Yorubaland, people of Acts & Literature and to the good people of Nigeria.
You are among of those people that were jealous of the Prof because he has achieve a lot compare to the ‘Chief False Story Teller Prof Achebe’
Anyday, anywhere and anytime Prof Achebe can never be tally with Prof Wole Soyinka. And thats a strong fact.
@ezedan ur argument does not make sense because what u r saying is not what is in the article above so u better shut ur dirty mouth… i thought u would argue that this Awo award should have been given to Ashiwaju Bola Tinibu as a regional leader and not Soyinka of all people who is not even a politician but an intellectual… tinimbu avoided the aword because he is eyeing presidency and he knows that with such AWARD he will be thrown into trash knowing fully well that Awo was a bad name.. that Tinimbu is a very smart guy thats why he distanced himself from the game of Awo award and not wanted to use it to rubbish a clean and pure hearted Soyinka…
@ezedan ur argument does not make sense because what u r saying is not what is in the article above so u better shut ur dirty mouth… i thought u would argue that this Awo award should have been given to Ashiwaju Bola Tinibu as a regional leader and not Soyinka of all people who is not even a politician but an intellectual… tinimbu avoided the aword because he is eyeing presidency and he knows that with such AWARD he will be thrown into trash knowing fully well that Awo was a bad name.. that Tinimbu is a very smart guy thats why he distanced himself from the game of Awo award and wanted to use it to rubbish a clean and pure hearted Soyinka…
I mean Ashiwaju tinimbu want to use this award to rubbish Soyinka … maybe he though Soyinka will one day float a political party to challenge him as Yoruba leader …
awo killer is anty igbos awo is in hell fire now awo hait igbos awo rendered us poor after the civil war idiamin awo of nigeria
Can u be specific what soyinka has done for his hometown ishara or abeokuta his adopted hometown. What foundation or charity, i mean educational one. Stop saying wat you do not know. He is an academecian but no leader i repeat again.
I am asking @ ezedan
The problem of nigeria is leadership. A ggod leader is not tribalistic. Zik mentored adeniran ogunsanya. The most loyall to him than any ibo man. Awo mentored ajuluchukwu. Tinubu mentored area boys. Brf cannot rule because tinubu want to continue to retain the power. Power is concentrated on him or using money to buy influence in america and ondo. If that is wat we call leadership then they give it to tinubu
Idi Amin, Osama bin laden, Saddam hessein, Adolf hitler, Obafemi Awolowo, Jim jones, Al assad, Gaddafi etc. These were notable leaders of their time. And they all have hand full of followers. I am not saying, Anyaoku is stupid for getting involved with this charade.