President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced plans to confer national honours on a broad range of Nigerians in recognition of their roles in the June 12 pro-democracy struggle, according to the Presidency.
The list includes journalists, activists, academics, legal practitioners and military officers who endured persecution, detention, exile and repression during the fight against military rule. Officials said their contributions were instrumental to the democracy Nigeria enjoys today.
The Presidency added that the full honours list will be released in the coming days. Among those named in the preliminary list are Sam Omatseye, Oladele Alake, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, Joe Okei-Odumakin and Major-General Ishola Williams (rtd), alongside several posthumous honourees. Military “soldier-democrats” also featured prominently, reflecting their roles during the transition era.
The announcement comes as Nigeria marks Democracy Day commemorations, with renewed emphasis on recognising key actors in the struggle for democratic governance across the country this year widely across Nigeria.