Nominations for African of the Year close on September 30, 2016
The opportunity for nominating candidates for the African of the Year
2016 award, which is promoted by Media Trust Limited in Nigeria, will
end in on Friday, September 30, 2016, barely two weeks for now.
Media Trust Limited, with headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, are the
publishers of the Daily Trust newspapers, one of Nigeria’s leading
independent newspaper. The newspaper promotes the African of the Year
award in fulfillment of its commitment to African unity and sustainable
development across the continent.
Other publications by the Daily Trust include Aminiya, a Hausa Language
newspaper, and Kilimanjaro, a magazine that covers the African continent
.
The African of the year award was initiated in 2008 to recognize and
reward, exemplary Africans for their extraordinary contributions to
human development in any part of the continent, and in any sphere of
human endeavour.
Candidates for the award are shortlisted from a pool of nominees whose
profiles and records of contribution have gone through a rigorous
process of screening.
The award consists of three components, namely, a permanent plaque, a
certificate of merit and a US$50,0000 cash reward in aid of the
awardees’ charity project. The eventual winner is selected by a
seven-member prize committee chaired by Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, former
Prime Minister of Tanzania and ex-scribe of the Organization of African
Unity (now African Union).
Other members of the Committee who represent Africa's regional blocs
are: Ambassador Mona Omar (North Africa), Mr. Amadou Mahtar 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 DAILY TRUST, Mr. Kabiru Yusuf represents the award promoters.
Now in its 8th edition, the maiden award for 2008 went to Dr Denis
Mukwege, a Congolese Gynaecologist, and humanitarian surgeon. This was
in recognition of his risky advocacy against the prevalent use of mass
rape as a weapon of war in Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, and his
offer of free reconstructive gynaecological surgeries to rape victims in
the war-torn central African country.
The subsequent awards have been won by the late Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem
(2009), Mr. Danny Jordan (2010), Judge Mrs. Fatimata Bazeye (2011), Mr.
Thabo Mbeki (2012) and Dr. Donald Kaberuka (2013). The 2014 award was
skipped owing to the prevalence of Ebola disease in parts of Africa
while Mr. Gregoire Ahongbonon emerged winner of the 2015 award.
Some of the distinguished personalities who had served on the Prize
Committee chaired by Dr. Salim are: Prof. Abdoulaye Bathily, Prof.
Tandeka Nkiwane, Ms. Muthoni Wanyeki, Prof. Okello Oculi, Dr. Obadiah
Mailafia, Prof. Kwame Karikari, and the late Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem.
The opportunity for nominating candidates for the African of the Year
2016 award, which is promoted by Media Trust Limited in Nigeria, will
end in on Friday, September 30, 2016, barely two weeks for now.
Media Trust Limited, with headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, are the
publishers of the Daily Trust newspapers, one of Nigeria’s leading
independent newspaper. The newspaper promotes the African of the Year
award in fulfillment of its commitment to African unity and sustainable
development across the continent.
Other publications by the Daily Trust include Aminiya, a Hausa Language
newspaper, and Kilimanjaro, a magazine that covers the African continent
.
The African of the year award was initiated in 2008 to recognize and
reward, exemplary Africans for their extraordinary contributions to
human development in any part of the continent, and in any sphere of
human endeavour.
Candidates for the award are shortlisted from a pool of nominees whose
profiles and records of contribution have gone through a rigorous
process of screening.
The award consists of three components, namely, a permanent plaque, a
certificate of merit and a US$50,0000 cash reward in aid of the
awardees’ charity project. The eventual winner is selected by a
seven-member prize committee chaired by Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, former
Prime Minister of Tanzania and ex-scribe of the Organization of African
Unity (now African Union).
Other members of the Committee who represent Africa's regional blocs
are: Ambassador Mona Omar (North Africa), Mr. Amadou Mahtar 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 DAILY TRUST, Mr. Kabiru Yusuf represents the award promoters.
Now in its 8th edition, the maiden award for 2008 went to Dr Denis
Mukwege, a Congolese Gynaecologist, and humanitarian surgeon. This was
in recognition of his risky advocacy against the prevalent use of mass
rape as a weapon of war in Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, and his
offer of free reconstructive gynaecological surgeries to rape victims in
the war-torn central African country.
The subsequent awards have been won by the late Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem
(2009), Mr. Danny Jordan (2010), Judge Mrs. Fatimata Bazeye (2011), Mr.
Thabo Mbeki (2012) and Dr. Donald Kaberuka (2013). The 2014 award was
skipped owing to the prevalence of Ebola disease in parts of Africa
while Mr. Gregoire Ahongbonon emerged winner of the 2015 award.
Some of the distinguished personalities who had served on the Prize
Committee chaired by Dr. Salim are: Prof. Abdoulaye Bathily, Prof.
Tandeka Nkiwane, Ms. Muthoni Wanyeki, Prof. Okello Oculi, Dr. Obadiah
Mailafia, Prof. Kwame Karikari, and the late Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem.