Encomium
‘Our position remains unchanged’ – ANIKULAPO KUTI, FAWEHINMI families
+ List of those who rejected the awards and full list of awardees
The Anikulapo Kuti and the Gani Fawehinmi families have stated their position concerning their rejection of the posthomous centenary awards for their late fathers remains the same. Yeni Anikulapo Kuti, first child of Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti who spoke with ENCOMIUM Weekly on Friday, February 28, 2914, while the award ceremony was going on in Abuja said the Kuti family will not be part of the ceremony.
“The government must apologize for the killing of late Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, our grandmother, and the burning of Fela’s Kalakuta Republic. I can’t be celebrating while Boko Haram fundamentalists are killing our children”.
Her brother, Femi Kuti had earlier in the week spoken about the family’s intention of rejecting the award. Yeni also revealed that there was an invitation letter from the federal government as delivered to her.
Mohammed Fawehinmi, son of late lawyer and human rights crusader, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who also spoke with ENCOMIUM Weekly that same Friday, February 28, 2014, said, “Going for that award is not a priority. The president doesn’t know what he is doing. How can the country be celebrating when there is no security, when the quality of education is nothing to write home about, when there is massive unemployment?
“The only condition we can consider that award is if the government provides electricity, 24 hours. We are tired of generators, people are dying every day from the fume from generators. Government should generate employment for the youths, they should stop the killing of women and children in the north. If you watched Sochi Olympics in Russia, their closing ceremony is all about children while in Nigeria we are killing our own children.
“The governor of that state should be arrested including all their lawmakers and commissioners. We can’t accept an award at the same podium with Babangida. What is Abacha doing on that list?
“Jonathan is just wasting his time. If PDP gives him the ticket for 2015, then they have lost. He should go back to Bayelsa to rest. We have credible people even from his area who can do the job. My late father would have rolled in his grave if we had accepted that award. He would have risen if he actually gave birth to me.”
Mohammed had earlier in the week communicated the family’s stand on the award to the Presidency through the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.
Joining the list of those who rejected the centenary awards on Friday, February 28, 2014, was the MKO Abiola family, represented by Kola Abiola, the eldest son of the late winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola. He reportedly expressed the position of the family concerning the award, describing it as inappropriate.
“For us, what the government is doing is laudable but our family will only accept what is appropriate.” The family believes a GCFR honour would be befitting the status of late MKO Abiola. But on that day one of my brothers was in Abuja to pick up the award on behalf of the family.
For Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, the centenary celebration would have been better done at another date, not now when the country is mourning the school children killed by Boko Haram in the north and the high level of corruption in the government of the day.
“I would have p
referred that the entire day of infamy be ignored altogether, I am even thinking of just ignoring the obscenity, then turning up at the counter event”.
By counter event, Professor Wole Soyinka meant, he would prefer to attend another centenary awards in London on June 27, 2014, during which the diaspora will honour 100 outstanding Nigerians in the UK, at a gala dinner due to take place at Waldheim Forest Town Hall in East London.
The full list of the centenary awardees, including those who have rejected the honour
A. CONTRIBUTORS TO THE MAKING OF NIGERIA
1. Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II
2. Frederick John Dealtry Lugard
3. Dame Flora Louise Shaw, Lady Lugard
B. HEROES OF THE STRUGGLE FOR NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE/PIONEER POLITICAL LEADERS
4. Herbert Samuel Heelas Macaulay
5. Rt. Hon. Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe, GCFR
6. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, KBE
7. Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, GCFR
8. Sir Ahmadu Bello, KBE
9. Professor Eyo Ita
10. Jaja Anucha Wachuku
11. Pa Michael Imoudu
12. Chief Anthony Enahoro
13. Chief Joseph Sarwan Tarka
14. Mallam Aminu Kano
15. Margaret Udo Ekpo
16. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
17. Hajiya Gambo Sawaba
C. PIONEERS IN PROFESSIONAL CALLINGS/CAREERS
18. Christopher Sapara Williams
19. Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams, SAN
20. Chief Akintola Williams
21. Major-General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi
22. Vice Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey
23. Brigadier General George Tamunoiyowunam Kurubo
24. Louis Orok Edet
25. Major-General Abdullahi Mohammed
26. Professor Thomas Adeoye Lambo
27. Professor Kenneth Onwuka Dike
28. Capt. Chinyere Kalu
29. Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Oviemo Ovadje
30. Professor Grace Alele-Williams
D. PIONEERS IN COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
31. Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu
32. Alhaji Alhassan Dantata
33. Chief Adeola Odutola
E. PROMOTERS OF DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN NIGERIA
34. Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR
35. Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
36. General Shehu Musa Yar’adua, GCON
37. General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar, GCFR
F. HEROES IN GLOBAL SPORTS COMPETITIONS
38. Chioma Ajunwa
39. Nwankwo Kanu
40. Richard Ihetu (Dick Tiger)
41. Chief Michael Okpala (Power Mike), MON
42. Monday Ochuko Emoghawve
G. ACCOMPLISHED PIONEER PUBLIC SERVANTS
43. Chief Stanley Olabode Wey
44. Justice Egbert Udo Udoma
45. Chief Emeka Anyaoku
46. Sir Adetokunbo Adegboyega Ademola
47. Dr. Taslim Oluwale Elias
48. Dr. Rilwan Lukman
49. Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki
50. Alhaji Aliyu Mai Bornu
H. ACCOMPLISHED CONTEMPORARY ENTREPRENEURS
51. Alhaji Aliko Mohammed Dangote
52. Chief Mike Adenuga
53. Chief (Dr.) Innocent Chukwuma
I. DISTINGUISHED ACADEMICS
54. Professor Benjamin Oluwakayode Osuntokun
55. Professor Kelsey Harrison
56. Professor Chike Obi
57. Professor Dagogo Fubara
58. Professor Jacob Festus Ade Ajayi
59. Professor Claude Ake
60. Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa
61. Professor Godwin Olu Patrick Obasi
62. Professor Umaru Shehu
J. INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ARTISTS, LITERARY ICONS AND JOURNALISTS
63. Michael Taiwo Akinkumi
64. Professor Wole Soyinka
65. Professor Chinua Achebe
66. Prof John Pepper Clark
67. Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi
68. Alhaji Abubakar Imam
69. Daniel O. Fagunwa
70. Ernest Sesei Ikoli
71. Alhaji Ismail Babatunde Jose
72. Kenneth Nnebue
73. Patience Ozokwor
74. Alhaji (Dr) Mamman Shata Katsina
75. Hubert Adedeji Ogunde
76. Fela Anikulapo Kuti
77. Stephen Osita Osadebe
78. (Dr.) Ladi Dosei Kwali
79. Ben Enwonwu
80. Oludotun Jacobs
K. OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC SERVANTS
81. Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule
82. Professor Akinlawon Ladipo Mabogunje, NNOM
83. Dr. Barnabas Sanyaolu Oloruntoba, OFR
84. Honourable Justice Maryam Aloma Mukhtar, GCON
L. OUTSTANDING BRAVERY AND PUBLIC SPIRITEDNESS
85. Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN
86. Michael Chukwugekwu Ihuka
M. OUTSTANDING PROMOTERS OF UNITY, PATRIOTISM AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
87. General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR
88. General Murtala Ramat Mohammed
89. General Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo, GCFR
90. General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
91. General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR
92. Chief Ernest Shonekan, GCFR
93. General Sani Abacha, GCFR
94. Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua, GCFR
95. General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, GCON, fss
N. EXEMPLARY SERVICE IN THE PROMOTION OF PEACE AND MORAL EXCELLENCE
96. Sir Abubakar Sadiq III
97. Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi
98. Blessed Cyprian Michael Tansi
99. Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye
100. Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi
