— As Jerry Gana charges youths to be courageous
It was a night of honor for former President Shehu Shagari, his Vice, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and the acclaimed winner of 1993 presidential election, late Chief MKO Abiola who were recognized as “All time Democrats” by a group of delegates to the on-going national conference in Abuja.
Also honored were three elder statesmen who included: Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Edwin Clarke and Mbazulike Ameachi.
Others included retired Justice Mamman Nasir, Mallam Tanko Yakassai, Mallam Magaji Dambatta, Chief H.I.D Awolowo, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Chief Tunji Braithwaite, Shettima Ali Monguno, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki, Chief Olanihun Ajayi, and Chief Richard Akinjide.
Similarly, Governor Kayode Fayemi, Retired Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, Retired Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais, Justice Usman Muhammed, Chief Benjamin Chahcha, Alhaji Inuwa Wada, Senator Franca Afegbua, Khalifa Alhassan Yusuf and Alhaji Maitama Sule were also honored.
The event which held at the congress hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja last Friday night was organized to honor some distinguished Nigerians, dead or alive who have in one way or other championed the course of democracy in the country.
Speaking at the event, chairman of the local organizing committee and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Yusuf Mamman said that the idea for the award night struck them while interacting with some delegates to the conference, adding that it was to further instill the spirit of oneness in all Nigerians.
He added that the project received overwhelming endorsement of many delegates and Nigerians.
According to him, the coming of delegates like Ms. Ankio Briggs, Christian Udechukwu, Retired Col. Tony Iyaim, Alhaji Mohammad Ibrahim amongst others gave a boost to the idea.
Udechukwu who is a member of the committee and representative of Diaspora Nigerians at the conference to Blueprint that the event which was the first of its kind was essentially organized “to celebrate those who have worked very hard to sustain and deepen democracy from our independence up and until now.”
In his short paper on the meaning of democracy delivered at the event, former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana submitted that democracy was all about service to the people.
He stressed that a pool of ideas, consultations and discussions were veritable democratic components which must be imbibed by courageous leaders.
He further stated that leadership was not for mediocre and feeble-minded persons.
“Democracy is about ideas, consultations, discussions and that is why Mr. President has gathered 492 persons. Democracy is about service to the people. Leadership is very, very vital. If you have mediocre leadership, you have mediocre development. A leader must be competent. The power of competence, the ability to get things done. Leaders must be courageous,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, one of the few surviving nationalists and former Minister of Aviation in the first republic thanked the organizers of the Programme.
He recalled that a lot of sacrifices had been made to sustain Nigeria’s democracy and also charged the younger generation not to derail it.
He however said that his likes had been forgotten by successive governments.
“As a Zikist and at 21, I have been to prison like seven times. Some of us have been forgotten but God has not forgotten us,” Amaechi said.
Alhaji Magaji Dambata who was a founding member of Northern Elements Peoples Union, NEPU, a political party that wielded enormous influence in the north in the second republic and Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a politician of note recalled with nostalgia, the era of the struggle for Nigeria’s independence, saying the country must remain one as a living memory of those that paid the supreme price and others living.
Alhaji Tanko Yakasaai, a notable northern leader while appreciating his award dedicated it to the Nigerian people, saying that nothing would have attracted such a prestigious honor other than service to humanity.
In the same vein, Chief Edwin Clarke, who was a Federal Commissioner for Information while noting that the honor would act as a catalyst to the awardees for more service to humanity stated that “Nigeria is a great country, and we believe in the unity and oneness of this country, where peace equality of citizens, and where people will live together, improve themselves at their own pace, where there should be no envy. That is the Nigeria of our dream.”
Dr. Mrs. Patricia Ogbonnaya, a Permanent Secretary, in Rivers state and delegate to the conference who spoke to Journalists noted that, attitudinal change was key for a better Nigeria in the near future, “our attitude have to change our mind set have to change, once we reorientate our minds I think we will move forward, it means the core values of this country as laid down by our founding fathers, some of whom are being honoured today, will be practiced and enshrined in our hearts.”
A governorship aspirant from Delta state, Ngozi Olejeme, stated that, “The awardees are people who gave their yesterday for our tomorrow, they were active in their youth in the struggle for the emancipation of Nigeria, and they remained undaunted by the challenges that confront us as a nation, the struggle against colonialism and imperialism, for which our honourees and their contemporaries committed their lives are milestone in our national history, I salute your dedication your doggedness and fighting spirit for a Nigeria of our dream.”
While most of the awardees were represented by their allies, there was however a loud ovation when Pastor Tunde Bakere who was also a delegate to the national conference was called to receive the posthumous award for late Abiola.
It would be recalled that Abiola, the widely acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election paid the supreme price when he died in detention in 1998.
Dignataries who graced the occasion were Kaduna State governor who was representative by his deputy, Amb. Audu Bajoga, representatives of Bayelsa, Rivers States governors, former Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara other confab delegates and many friends and associates of the awardees.
