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Buratai, TY Danjuma, Others Nominated For The Nigerian OF The Year 2017 Award by A London based Online Newspaper
Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai; Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former minister of defence and philantrophist, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, and President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Nigeria’s former minister of agriculture, Dr. Akinwinmi Adesina have emerged as top nominees for the Nigerian of the Year 2017 Award by a London based Online Newspapers, The Nigerian Online Newspaper.
Brief Profile of the Nominees:
Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai
He is Nigeria’s current Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and leader of the counter-insurgency war in the Northeast and Nigeria. An outstanding professional soldier and astute military administrator, Gen Buratai is famed nationally and internationally, as the Nigerian soldier who courageously broke the jinx of the once dreaded Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria by leading troops to decimate and defeat of insurgents within record time.
A fearless and visionary Army General, he is recognized and feted for his immense contributions in leading troops to enthrone the unity, stability and indivisibility of Nigeria by curtailing the excesses of the barrage of threatening and foreign- backed insurgents, extremists and separatists’ campaigners in Nigeria. Gen. Buratai’s humility and simplistic leadership style has earned him loyalty from his officers and men, and repositioned the Nigerian Army as one of the most civilized, responsible, disciplined and coordinated military institutions in the world.
This singular action has earned him local and international accolades and awards across the globe, including the conferment of the Republic of Brazil’s highest military honour on him in recognition of his efforts in extricating Nigeria from the fangs of terrorism. Gen. Buratai has impinged on the psyche of Nigerians a reputation of a loveable, respected, transparent, patriotic, dedicated and selfless military officer who has repeatedly demonstrated his unreserved readiness to die for the salvation of his fatherland.
Lt. Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma -GCON
Chief TY Danjuma is a retired Army General and elder statesman, who has devoted all his life to the service of humanity. After an accomplished and retirement from active politics, he established the TY Danjuma Foundation in 2008, a philanthropic and humanitarian organization, which he administers as its chairman. It has interests in alleviating poverty in communities across Nigeria through the provision of basic amenities, education for children and young adults as well as free Medicare. The Foundation has brought succor to the less privileged and vulnerable Nigerians in numerous communities, through networking with over 50 NGOs across the country, with the support of the 36 state governors.
Thus, till date the veteran Army General has continued to etch his memory on public psyche as a rare philanthropist and humanist in Nigeria irrespective of ethnic or religious divides. The TY Foundation maintains the unbeatable record in outreach nationwide, as virtually everywhere government in particular is unable to reach the poor or the less privileged, it berths presence in improving the living standards of the people.
Gen. Danjuma served as Chairman of the Victims’ Support Fund Committee, an initiative to assemble funds to carter for victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast. In furtherance of his philanthropic bent, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him to lead the Committee for the Rehabilitation of Infrastructure And Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs) in the North-East sub-region; which is largely responsible for the impressive peace and rebuilding process of the devastated region.
Dr. Akinwinmi Ayodeji Adesina
Elected the eighth President, African Development Bank (AfDB) in May 2015, and the first Nigerian to preside over this continental body, Dr. Akinwinmi Ayodeji Adesina, is an agricultural economist of international fame. A former Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria, Dr. Adesina has been impactful in initiating reforms and innovations that have tended to change the face of agriculture in Nigeria and the African continent towards food sufficiency to end food insecurity.
As AfDB boss, his influence on African leaders to embrace and implement the idea of Green Revolution in Africa is rewarding and gradually redirecting the economies of the continent from crude oil to export of agriculture produce. Appointed member of the Lead Group of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement in 2016 by the United Nations (UN), Dr. Adesina has concretized steps to end the widespread afflictions of malnutrition and stunted growth in children caused by protracted under-nutrition at critical stages of child development in Africa.
The AfDB President has consistently inspired government and business leaders towards empowering small-holder farmers to agribusinesses to flourish. He has been recognized and awarded with the prestigious 2017 World Food Prize Laureate.
Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi III
His Royal Highness, Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi III (SLS) is former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Emir of the ancient City of Kano in Nigeria. This eminent traditional ruler has the reputation of a firebrand advocate of social Justice in Nigeria. SLS as his admirers prefer to call him stands for the truth at all times, even at the risk of his life and, in Nigeria, he has severally proved to be a nightmare to any government in the country disinclined to keeping its social contract with the Nigerian people.
This revered economist and financial expert cum traditional ruler is widely known for his vocal and fearless advocacy for a better society through his periodic insightful analysis of Nigeria’s socio-economic malaise and the sound solutions he proffers.
Emir Sanusi is also a leading beacon of elite campaigns for the application of dynamism in the perception of cultural values in the county in tandem with the ever-changing trends around the world. He has elevated and coloured the campaigns against stale cultural dogmas with royal flavor, especially the crusade for the education of the girl-child which has remained a hard nut to crack in some communities in Nigeria, particularly in Northern Nigeria. The gradual shift of national attention to girl-child education is a consequence of the relentless efforts of personalities like Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
The Newspaper 1st Anniversary Symposium & Awards will be held at the Ballroom, The Dorchester, London on Friday August 25, 2017, by 8pm.
Visit www.thenigerian.news/awards to Vote for Nominees.
By: Fabian Apechihin
Sociopolitical activist Aisha Yesufu has accused Nigerian political leaders of perpetuating what she described as a “political genocide” against Christians in Northern Nigeria.
Yesufu made the remark on Tuesday in response to American comedian and TV host Bill Maher, who recently alleged that Nigerian Christians are facing coordinated attacks.
Maher, speaking on his HBO show, said, “I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over 100,000 since 2009 and burned 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram.”
Reacting via her X handle, Yesufu criticized what she called hypocrisy among Nigerian politicians who express concern over Christian persecution yet supported the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 elections.
“You are shouting that Northern Christians are being persecuted, but you championed a Muslim-Muslim ticket! Their Christianity was not Christian enough for you during the 2023 election,” she wrote.
She concluded by calling for greater attention to what she termed the “political genocide” against Northern Christians, urging consistency in both words and actions when addressing religious and political marginalization in Nigeria.
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Jagunmolu and Asiwaju of Igbomina, Alhaji Chief (Dr) Abdur-Raheem Oladimeji, has expressed optimism that the rising insecurity in parts of Kwara State would not overwhelm the state.
He identified the incidences of banditry and kidnapping for ransom as a passing phase, which was designed by unscrupulous elements to destabilise Kwara.
Oladimeji, who is the Founder, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin and Baba Oba of Offa Kingdom, said this in a statement issued in Ilorin on Monday in response to the recent security breaches in some communities in Kwara North and Kwara South.
He urged the residents of affected communities, and Kwarans at large, not to lose hope in the ability of the government and security agencies to tame the roughnecks and restore peace to their communities.
The Arogundade of Lagos described the terror campaign as an unconventional warfare that requires tactics and wisdom on the part of the military to tackle, pointing out that the attackers often cowardly withdraw to their shells after visiting attacks on their victims.
He cautioned those who are out to profit from the ruins of the affected communities by making mockery of the situation with reckless comments to stop forthwith.
Oladimeji also warned against scaremongering being created over the security challenge, urging vigilance and making useful information available to security agencies on any strange movements in their communities.
“Let us be wary of scaremongers, who have made it their daily habit to create imaginary fear as a result of which people are thrown into panic mode. That there is security breach has not been denied. However, we need to be careful and circumspect on the information unauthorized individuals circulate on the issue of insecurity,” the varsity founder noted.
Jagunmolu, who doubles as President-General, AROIF, appealed for calm, unity, security consciousness, while commending the government for its proactive intervention to rout out the unscrupulous element.
He praised the gallantry of military personnel and other security operatives, calling for words of encouragement among the people to boost the morale of the armed personnel.
Oladimeji sympathised with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the recent tragedy and called for additional deployment of security personnel to troubled areas for quick restoration of permanent peace.
“We need to pray for peace and justice to return to Igbomina land, Kwara and the entire country so that we can overcome our moment of trial and tribulation. Our people should take it as a matter of duty to report strange movements to the security agencies and constituted authorities,” Jagunmolu added.
END.
By: Fabian Apechihin
Northern Christian leaders have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently resettle displaced persons in Benue, Plateau, and Borno States, many of whom have remained in camps within and outside Nigeria years after violent attacks forced them from their ancestral homes.
The appeal was made in Jos, Plateau State, during a meeting with the President, which clerics described as a renewed opportunity to highlight the plight of displaced communities in Northern Nigeria. The leaders were in Jos to attend the funeral of Mama Lydia Yilwata, mother of Prof. Nentawe Yilwata, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Rev. Dr Amos M. Mohzo, President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) and Chairman of the Heads of Denominational Leaders on the Plateau, lamented that more than 200,000 people from Gwoza in Borno State still remain in refugee camps in Cameroon and Chad.
“We humbly appeal to you, Mr President, to help bring them back home. In the same vein, we are calling for a lifeline for displaced communities in Plateau and Benue States. Rebuilding their livelihoods and housing will reposition them for meaningful life and productivity,” Mohzo said.
He commended the President’s efforts to strengthen national security and support for state police, stressing that resettling displaced families was critical for peace and stability in the North. Mohzo also thanked Tinubu for key appointments of Northern Christians—including Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, General Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff, and Prof. Nentawe Yilwata as APC National Chairman—and urged broader inclusion of Christians in governance.
Similarly, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Northern Nigeria, reinforced the call, urging Tinubu to establish a Special Presidential Reconstruction Initiative to rebuild homes, restore livelihoods, and provide social infrastructure for displaced families.
“Our people cannot continue to live in camps when their ancestral homes have been taken over. We are appealing to Mr President to act with urgency so that these Nigerians can return home and live meaningful lives again,” Hayab said.
The clerics pledged continued commitment to peace and national unity, assuring the President of their support for policies that promote justice, inclusivity, and human dignity. They also extended condolences to Prof. Yilwata, the Ngas nation, and the people of Plateau State over the loss of Mama Lydia Yilwata.
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