Human Rights Lawyer: Tinubu Ignored True Heroes, National Awards Incomplete
Legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sunusi Musa, has questioned the criteria used in awarding national honours, citing the exclusion of some individuals who were involved in the pro-democracy struggle following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Writing on his verified Facebook page, Musa acknowledged the recognition of certain individuals but argued that the list was incomplete.
“The Awardees of the National Honors today, are those who sustained the struggle for June 12 election,” he stated. “Though I have seen the name of Gen Yar’Adua and Gambo Sawaba in it. By whatever criteria, if Yar’Adua and Sawaba are qualified for the award based on June 12 struggle, then Abubakar Rimi, Sule Lamido, Tony Anenih, Col Dangiwa Umar and Atiku Abubakar are equally qualified.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred national honours on 65 Nigerians, both living and deceased, citing their roles in democracy, public service, and civic responsibility.
Included among the recipients are Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana (SAN), and the late Kudirat Abiola, who was posthumously awarded the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).
Others on the list include the late journalist Bagauda Kaltho, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (GCFR), Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti (CON), and former Governor Balarabe Musa (CFR).
Musa argued that figures such as the late Abubakar Rimi, former Governor Sule Lamido, Tony Anenih, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also played important roles and should have been recognized.
“If Yar’Adua and Sawaba are recognized for their role in the June 12 struggle, then the exclusion of others like Rimi, Lamido, and Atiku raises questions about the consistency and fairness of the criteria,” he added.
President Tinubu, a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) which opposed military rule in the 1990s, said the awards were meant to “honour men and women of conscience who stood for justice, democracy, and the Nigerian people.”
Musa’s comments have drawn reactions online and among political observers, with some agreeing that a wider range of contributors to Nigeria’s democratic history should be acknowledged.
The honours include titles such as Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) and Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), spanning individuals from civil society, media, politics, and academia.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who were on the 2023 list, also received awards.
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