A leading Nigeria independent newspaper, Daily Trust, has called for nomination of exemplary personalities for the coveted African of the Year 2019. Nominations are open from August 19, 2019 to October 18, 2019.
In a statement issued weekend, CEO/Editor-in-Chief of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust, Mr. Mannir Dan-Ali, said ideal nominees should be ordinary Africans who have made extra-ordinary contributions to humanity in any field from any part of the continent.
Dan-Ali said the award consists of three components, namely, a permanent plaque, a certificate of merit and a cash reward in aid of the awardee or his/her chosen charity project.
“Valid entries for the 2019 award will be for works, events or activities undertaken by the nominee between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019 and nominations are to be made online ataward.dailytrust.com. The eventual winner will be selected by a seven-member prize committee chaired by His Excellency, Mr. Festus Mogae, former president of Botswana.
“Other members of the Committee who represent Africa’s regional blocs are: Ambassador Mona Omar (North Africa), Mr. AmadouMahtar Ba (West Africa), Ms. Gwen Lister (Southern Africa), Mr. Pascal Kambale (Central Africa) and Professor Sylvia Tamale (East Africa). The Chairman of the Board of Media Trust Limited, Mr. Kabiru Yusuf represents the award promoters.
“Now in its 12th edition, the African of the Year Award was inaugurated in 2008 by Daily Trust in fulfilment of the newspaper’s commitment to African unity and sustainable development across the continent,” the statement said.
With this annual award, Mr. Dan-Ali said the newspaper hopes to entrench the culture of selflessness among Africans with the aim of creating a pool of role-models for others to emulate.
