Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka on Wednesday emerged the first ever
recipient of the prestigious award of the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for
Leadership after months of careful screening of numerous nominees by
both the Selection and Technical committees for the exercise.
Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who is also chairman, Selection Committee for the Award, made the announcement at a press conference which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation office in Gbagada, Lagos.
Other members of the Selection Committee include Justice Muhammadu Uwais, Professor Akin Mabogunje, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Olorogun Felix Ibru, Professor O. O. Akinkugbe, Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi, Bishop Matthew Kukah, Professor Adetokunbo Lucas, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun,
Professor Anya O. Anya, Mr Bola Akingbade, Professor (Mrs) Funmi Soetan, and Mr Niyi Adegbonmire. The Committee is very ably assisted in its work by the Foundation’s Executive Director, Dr Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu.
Unveiling the recipient, Chief Anyaoku stated that Soyinka emerged winner of the award having met in large measure the attributes listed for the prize, which he said had characterised the sage, Chief Awolowo’s leadership style. Anyaoku said Soyinka beat numerous other nominees from across the country.
The criteria, according to the Commonwealth former secretary-general include integrity, credibility, discipline, courage, selflessness, accountability, tenacity of purpose, visionary and people-centred leadership as well as respect for the rule of law and press freedom.
“It gives me immense pleasure to announce that, after very careful consideration, the Selection Committee came to the 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 the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, is Professor Wole Soyinka,” Anyaoku said.
“Suffice it to say at this point, however, that Professor Soyinka has, in various ways, demonstrated many of the core values that have been associated with Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and which this prize is meant to encourage and reward,” he added.
Soyinka, was not in attendance, but Anyaoku disclosed that the winner, in his reaction, said he was overwhelmed by the news of the award, just as he described the award as crème de la crème of all awards that had ever been bestowed on him.
The former secretary-general of Commonwealth, while speaking on the process through which the winner eventually emerged, said: “This prestigious biennial national prize is structured to follow a rigorous process of nomination and subsequent screening by a Selection Committee made of the most outstanding Nigerians.”
He disclosed that the process also had the involvement of a Technical Committee consisted mainly of egg heads, among others, saying series of meetings were held between the time the nomination closed by August ending and when the winner eventually emerged.
According to him, other members of the Selection Committee are former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais (rtd); Prof Akin Mabogunje, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Olorogun Felix Ibru, Prof O. O. Akinkugbe, Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Prof Adetokunbo Lucas, Prof Ladipo Adamolekun, Prof Anya O. Anya, Mr Bola Akinkugbe, Prof (Mrs) Funmi Soetan and Mr Niyi Adegbonmire.
“The committee is very ably assisted in its work by the Foundation’s Executive Director, Dr Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu,” he said.
Speaking on the genesis of the award, Chief Anyaoku disclosed that it emanated as part of major recommendations of the special dialogue held by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, July 2011 with the theme: Transformational Leadership and Good Governance: Lesson from the Awolowo Example, where he said “it was observed that one of the greatest challenges facing Nigeria and, indeed, African countries today is the dearth of good leadership.”
“One of the major recommendations of the Special Dialogue was that the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation should institute an Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership to encourage, recognise, reward and celebrate excellence in Nigerian leadership.
“As is well known, Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a Nigerian and Pan-African nationalist of global repute. He was the first Premier of Nigeria’s Western Region and, later, Leader of Opposition in the Federal Parliament.
He was also, inter alia, Nigeria’s Federal Commissioner (now known as Minister) of Finance and Vice Chairman, Federal Executive Council. He played key roles in the colonial and postcolonial history of Nigeria’s constitutional and political development.
“A highly revered Nigerian federalist, Chief Awolowo, upon his transition, was variously described by Nigerian leaders as ‘the issue in Nigerian politics’ and ‘the best president Nigeria never had ‘in recognition of his indomitable role as a leader in Nigerian politics,” he said.
In her opening remark, the Executive Director, the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Dr Awolowo-Dosumu, said the award had buttressed the philosophy and the ideals behind the setting up of the foundation, which she noted places emphasis on characteristics of leadership and good governance that were in tandem with the sage’s values.
She equally observed that many eminent Nigerians were nominated for the award while Prof Soyinka emerged as winner, pointing out that the Selection Committee decided not to make the nominees’ names and their number public because many of them were equally men and women of note.
She acknowledged the worthy contributions made towards the success of the exercise by the Selection Committee headed by Chief Anyaoku and the Technical Committee, which she described as rare sacrifice in spite of the fact that members had to travel down many times for meetings without being paid a kobo.
The winner, Prof Soyinka, will be invested with the award on March 6, 2013 where he is expected to deliver a lecture. A Gala Night is expected to follow. The event will coincide with the Chief Awolowo’s birthday anniversary.
Prominent people who were in attendance at the unveiling include: Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Prof Ladipo Adamolekun, Prof Akin Mabogunje and Olorogun Felix Ibru.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade was represented by two traditional rulers, including the Olu of Saga Obalayan Ife, Oba Oladejo Oyeyinka 1 and Obawara of Ife, Oba Layi Adereti.
Prof Ladipo Adamolekun, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Prof (Mrs) Funmi Soetan, the Dean, Archibishop Vinning Memorial Church Cathederal , Ikeja, Archdeacon James Odedeji; Mr Wunmi Adegbonmire, Chairman, Nigerite Ltd, Dr Femi Orebe; Senator Femi Okunrounmu, Dr Kunle Olajide, Chief Diipo Jimilehin, Mr Taiwo Owoeye, Prof Banji Oyeyinka of United Nations, Nairobi, Dr Dele Seteolu, Prof Sat Obinyan, Prof Diji Aina, Executive Director, TELL magazine, Mr Ademola Oyinlola and Mr Yinka Odumakin.
Others are Senator Tony Adefuye, Dr Lateef Ibirogba, Prof Alade Fawole, Chief Dejo Adejobi, Prof Ayo Olukotun, Mr Caleb Oreoluwa, Akogun Olu Adeneye, Mr Ayo Osunloye of Better Society Foundation, Mrs Abiola Sowole and Deaconess Oluranti Odukoya, Ag Managing Director, African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Mr Edward Dickson; Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdulai; Editor, Sunday Tribune, Mr Sina Oladeinde; Editor, Saturday Tribune, Mr Lasisi Olagunju.
The road to Soyinka’s selection
In selecting candidates, emphasis is laid on characteristics of leadership and good governance that are in tandem with Chief Awolowo’s values. These characteristics include:
1. Integrity: Candidate must be an honest person, possessing strong moral principles.
2. Credibility: Candidate must be a person in whom people believe and repose trust.
3. Discipline: Candidate must be a person who demonstrates controlled behaviour and way of life and who steers such control to a socially acceptable direction.
4. Selflessness: Candidate must be a person who gives priority to the general interest over personal interest. She/he should be a public spirited person.
5. Visionary leadership: Candidate must subscribe to leadership that focuses on, and plans for the future in an intelligent and productive way. This includes taking decisions that have positive implications for the future.
6. People-centred leadership: Candidate must be a person whose leadership is rooted in the people and works to promote their interest.
6. Grassroots-friendly policies: Candidate must be a person who promotes policies that are beneficial to the generality of the people.
7. Positive policy intervention (in education, health, economy, etc.): Where appropriate, candidates must have demonstrated articulation and implementation of programmes leading to positive improvement in various segments of the society such as education, health and economy. Indicators of improvement in education could include literacy rate, primary school enrolment, relative cost of education, construction of new schools, state of educational infrastructure, facilities and equipment. Indicators of economic improvement include job creation, unemployment rate, general standard of living, per capita income. Indicators of performance in the health sector include mortality rate, access to health care facilities, relative affordability of health care, life expectancy.
8. Impact on poverty reduction/increased welfare: Implementation of programmes leading to a reduction in poverty level. Providing economic empowerment for the poor.
9. Respect for rule of law: Candidate must be a person who has demonstrated respect for the rule of law and has eschewed arbitrariness and human rights abuse.
10. Accountability: Candidate must be a person with demonstrated willingness to subject his/her actions to scrutiny by the people.
11. Corruption perception: Candidate must have demonstrated aversion to corruption in words and deeds. The person must not be seen to be corrupt.
12. Guarantee of press freedom: Candidate must not be seen to have been in support of muzzling the press.
13. Courage: Candidate must have demonstrated ability to chart the right and honourable path, defend the right cause, without fear even in the face of opposition and/or persecution.
14. Tenancity of purpose: Candidate must demonstrate the ability to sustain his/her commitment to the above-listed ideals.
In selecting candidates, emphasis is laid on characteristics of leadership and good governance that are in tandem with Chief Awolowo’s values. These characteristics include:
1. Integrity: Candidate must be an honest person, possessing strong moral principles.
2. Credibility: Candidate must be a person in whom people believe and repose trust.
3. Discipline: Candidate must be a person who demonstrates controlled behaviour and way of life and who steers such control to a socially acceptable direction.
4. Selflessness: Candidate must be a person who gives priority to the general interest over personal interest. She/he should be a public spirited person.
5. Visionary leadership: Candidate must subscribe to leadership that focuses on, and plans for the future in an intelligent and productive way. This includes taking decisions that have positive implications for the future.
6. People-centred leadership: Candidate must be a person whose leadership is rooted in the people and works to promote their interest.
6. Grassroots-friendly policies: Candidate must be a person who promotes policies that are beneficial to the generality of the people.
7. Positive policy intervention (in education, health, economy, etc.): Where appropriate, candidates must have demonstrated articulation and implementation of programmes leading to positive improvement in various segments of the society such as education, health and economy. Indicators of improvement in education could include literacy rate, primary school enrolment, relative cost of education, construction of new schools, state of educational infrastructure, facilities and equipment. Indicators of economic improvement include job creation, unemployment rate, general standard of living, per capita income. Indicators of performance in the health sector include mortality rate, access to health care facilities, relative affordability of health care, life expectancy.
8. Impact on poverty reduction/increased welfare: Implementation of programmes leading to a reduction in poverty level. Providing economic empowerment for the poor.
9. Respect for rule of law: Candidate must be a person who has demonstrated respect for the rule of law and has eschewed arbitrariness and human rights abuse.
10. Accountability: Candidate must be a person with demonstrated willingness to subject his/her actions to scrutiny by the people.
11. Corruption perception: Candidate must have demonstrated aversion to corruption in words and deeds. The person must not be seen to be corrupt.
12. Guarantee of press freedom: Candidate must not be seen to have been in support of muzzling the press.
13. Courage: Candidate must have demonstrated ability to chart the right and honourable path, defend the right cause, without fear even in the face of opposition and/or persecution.
14. Tenancity of purpose: Candidate must demonstrate the ability to sustain his/her commitment to the above-listed ideals.
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