June 12 struggle: Tinubu unveils national honour recipients

President Bola Tinubu on Friday unveiled a list of June 12 activists to be bestowed with national honours for their courageous roles in Nigeria’s return to democracy.

The list was unveiled during the president’s Democracy Day address on Friday.

Tinubu said, “I am also pleased to announce national awards to the following Nigerians, who suffered persecution, endured indignities, exile, incarceration, and, at times, solitary confinement, so that we have democracy today.”

The honorees were identified as Barrister Ayoka Lawani, Tunde Fagbenle, Oladele Alake, Olatunji Bello, Louis Odion, Segun Babatope, Sam Omatseye, Sir Ademola Osinubi, Bola Bolawole, Lade Bonuola, Femi Kusa, Debo Adeniran and Chief Ayo Opadokun.

Others include Chief Ralph Obiora, Ose Osayande, Barrister Osa Director, Prof. Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, Dr Arthur Nwankwo (Posthumous), Dr Osagie Obayuwana, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, Barrister Titus Mann and Joe Igbokwe.

Also on the list are Richard Akinnola, Ben Charles-Obi (Posthumous), George Mbah, Dr Niran Malaolu, Major-General Ishola Williams (rtd), Femi Aborisade, Jenkins Alumona, Gbemiga Ogunleye, Muyiwa Adekeye, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju and Ike Okonta.

The president also paid tributes to “the soldier-democrats of the June 12 struggle”.

They are Major General MA Garba, Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa, Col Umar Farouk Ahmed, Col Sambo Dasuki, Col Lawan Gwadabe, Brigadier Jonathan Ndam Temlong, Col Musa Shehu, Major General Chris Eze, Major General Harris Dzarma, Col Isa Jibrin, and Maj. General Joseph Oshanupin.

The list also includes Col Olusegun Oloruntoba, Olugbede of Gbede Kingdom), Lieutenant Colonel Happy Kefas Bulus, Col J Okai, Col Emmanuel Ndubueze, Lt Col Yakubu Muazu, Brigadier Yahaya Abubakar, the Current Etsu Nupe, who is already the holder of the CFR title.

The president noted that the honours list would be released in the next few days.