NOBEL laureate, Professor Wole
Soyinka, is set to add yet another
diadem to his intimidating list of
honours as he receives the
maiden award of the Obafemi
Awolowo Prize for Leadership,
an initiative of the Obafemi
Awolowo Foundation.
The Foundation, following a
rigorous selection process by a
panel of eminent Nigerians, had
announced in December 2012
that Soyinka had been picked as
winner of the prize.
The actual presentation of the
prize, which consists of a plaque,
medal and the certificate of
award, will be made at a
ceremony, expected to draw a
wide array of distinguished
Nigerians on Wednesday, March
6, 2013. Soyinka is expected to
deliver a lecture on the occasion.
A dance performance, musical
celebration, goodwill messages,
as well as a documentary on
Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the
Foundation itself, set up in 1992
to preserve his intellectual legacy
are highlights slated for the
event. The documentary on
Awolowo, according to a
statement by the Executive
Director of the Foundation, Dr.
Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu,
seeks to refresh the national
memory concerning critical
milestones in the sage’s political
career with a view to teaching a
generation, groping for direction
and leadership renewal useful
lessons.
Former Head of State and
Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of the Awolowo
Foundation, General Yakubu
Gowon, will chair the occasion,
while guests of honour include
other former Heads of
Government, State Governors,
traditional rulers and other
distinguished Nigerians.
The idea of the leadership prize
derived from the special dialogue
of the Obafemi Awolowo
Foundation held in July 2011
with the theme,
“Transformational Leadership
and Good Governance: Lessons
from the Awolowo Example”. It
was observed on that occasion
that one of the greatest
challenges confronted by Nigeria
is the leadership deficit. It was
recommended at that dialogue
that an Obafemi Awolowo Prize
for Leadership be instituted for
the purpose of recognizing
excellence and benchmarking
key leadership attributes
associated with Chief Awolowo.
Soyinka, whose nomination was
unanimously made by the
selection committee, headed by
former Secretary General of
Commonwealth of Nations, Chief
Emeka Anyaoku, graciously
accepted the nomination,
describing it as the “crème de la
crème of all the recognitions I
have ever received, being at once
so personal and universalist in
vision”.

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