African of the Year 2009

African of the Year 2009 Nomination Begins

DAILY TRUST, a leading Nigeria newspaper, has called for nominations of outstanding personalities for the “African of the Year” 2009 awards.

In a statement at the weekend, the Chairman of Media Trust Limited, publishers of DAILY TRUST, Mr. Kabiru Yusuf said emphasis is on ordinary Africans doing extra-ordinary things and that nomination of women is highly encouraged.

He said nominations of deserving personalities can be done online at www.award.dailytrust.com up until October, 2009 after which the winner will be selected at a meeting of the advisory committee in Nairobi, Kenya.

Last year, the newspaper gave the maiden award to Congolese gynecologist, Dr. Denis Mukwege, in recognition of his exemplary humanitarian/medical assistance to victims of rape in the war-torn East African country.

Two others, Dr. Christiana Thorpe, Sierra Leone’s Electoral Committee chairperson, and Mr. Salif Keita, a music legend from Mali, emerged as runners-up to the award. Dr Thorpe was recognized for her successful conduct of the 2007 post-civil war elections in Sierra-Leone, and Mr. Keita for his work with albinos.

The prestigious awards were presented by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary General of Commonwealth, on January 13th, 2009 at a colorful dinner at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria.

The Advisory Committee of the award is chaired by Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, former Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity (now African Union) and one of the most distinguished African statesmen and diplomats.

Other members of the Advisory Committee include Professor Abdoulaye Bathily, historian and politician from Senegal; Professor Kwame Karikari, media specialist and activist from Ghana; Dr. Muthoni Wanyeki, veteran columnist and Executive Director, Kenya Human Rights Commission; and Professor Tandeka Nkiwane, political scientist from South Africa.

The Committee members also include Kabiru Yusuf, Chairman of Media Trust Limited; Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria; Professor Okello Oculi, political scientist and columnist; while Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem of the UN Millennium Campaign, Africa Office, Nairobi, is Secretary of the Committee.

To qualify for the award, the nominee’s action which impacted on the lives of African people or spheres of activities through ideas, decisions or innovations must have taken place within the year under review, in this case, 2009.

Signed

Kabiru Yusuf
Chairman, Media Trust Ltd
Abuja, Nigeria
30th March, 2009