NOBEL Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has emerged the first recipient of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership after days of careful screening of the numerous nominees by both the selection and technical committees for the exercise.
Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who is also the chairman, Selection Committee for the award, made the announcement Wednesday at a press conference at the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation office in Gbagada, Lagos, which was attended by traditional rulers and eminent Nigerians, including Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Prof. Ladipo Adamolekun and Olorogun Felix Ibru.
Two traditional rulers, the Olu of Saga Obalayan Ife, Oba Oladejo Oyeyinka 1 and Obawara of Ife, Oba Layi Adereti, represented the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.
Unveiling the recipient, Anyaoku stated that Soyinka won the award having met, in large measure, the attributes listed for the prize, which he said had characterised the leadership style of the sage, Chief Awolowo. Anyaoku said that Soyinka beat numerous other nominees from across the country.
According to him, the criteria included integrity, credibility, discipline, courage, selflessness, accountability, tenacity of purpose, visionary and people-centred leadership as well as respect for the rule of law and press freedom.
"It gives me immense pleasure to announce that, after very careful consideration, the selection committee came to the unanimous conclusion that, of all the nominees presented before it, the individual adjudged to possess to the highest degree the attributes for the award, and is, therefore, the first ever recipient of the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, is Prof. Wole Soyinka," Anyaoku said.
"Suffice it to say at this point, however, that Prof. Soyinka has, in various ways, demonstrated many of the core values that have been associated with Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and which this prize is meant to encourage and reward."
Anyaoku disclosed that the winner, in his reaction, described the award as "crème de la crème of all the awards that I have received." The former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, while speaking on the process through which the winner eventually emerged, said: "This prestigious biennial national prize is structured to follow a rigorous process of nomination and subsequent screening by a selection committee made of the most outstanding Nigerians."
He disclosed that the process also had the involvement of a technical committee consisting mainly of eggheads, among others, stating that a series of meetings were held between the time the nomination closed by August ending and when the winner eventually emerged.
Members of the committee included former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Muhammed Lawal Uwais, Prof. Akin Mabogunje, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Olorogun Felix Ibru, Prof O. O. Akinkugbe, Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi and Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah.
Others were Prof. Adetokunbo Lucas, Prof. Ladipo Adamolekun, Prof. Anya O. Anya, Mr. Bola Akinkugbe, Prof. (Mrs.) Funmi Soetan and Mr. Niyi Adegbonmire.
The Foundation's Executive Director, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, assisted the committee in its work.
