Tinubu Awards National Honours To Wole Soyinka, Humphrey Nwosu,  Kudirat Abiola, Sam Amuka, Nosa Igiebor

By  Adesina Soyooye

President Bola Tinubu has finally, recognized the role played by Professor Humphrey Nwosu,  in the sad story of June 12, and awarded him the National Honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, posthumously.

The President announced the award when he addressed a joint session of the National Assembly to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day on June 12, 2025.

Professor Nwosu who passed recently, was the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, NEC,  the umpire of the June 12, 1993 Election, won by Chief Moshood Abiola but which was annulled by the Military Junta led by Military President, Ibrahim Babangida. Abiola tragically died in custody while trying to retrieve his mandate.

President Tinubu also awarded Mrs Kudirat Abiola, Chief Abiola’s wife, who was murdered during the late General Sani Abacha regime while she was fighting for the restoration of her husband’s mandate. She was  awarded with a posthumous National Honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR -the third highest National Honour in the land.

And, for the second time, Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka was awarded a National Honour, but this time the second highest Honour in the land  – Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON.

The Professor was first given a National Honour by then President Babangida when he won the Nobel Prize for Literature

but it was an honour he rejected after accepting it, in protest of some of the policies of the regime.

Tinubu also conferred the National Honour of CON on Media Icon, Sam Amuka, Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers who just turned 90 years and, accomplished Journalist, Nosa Igiebor, President, TELL Magazine and dozens of others.