5 Reputable Nigerians Who Rejected National Awards And Presidential Gifts

Nigerian leaders in the past have sought to confer special awards on deserving Nigerian figures who have done the country proud in different ways. However, some of these awardees have turned down these awards stating various personal reasons and ideological differences. Here are 5 top Nigerians who turned their backs on national awards in the past:

Wole Soyinka

Akinwande Oluwole “Wole” Soyinka is a decorated playwright and poet who currently stands as one of Nigeria’s living legends. He bagged the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for Literature in 1986 and became the first African to achieve such a feat. Wole has numerous accolades to his name and his reputation precedes him both nationally and internationally. His literary works include popular write ups like The Trials of Brother Jero and Kongi’s Harvest. He has always lent a voice to speak against the political ills plaguing the Nigerian nation and he never hesitated to speak the truth in the face of harrowing dictatorships.  He was imprisoned for 22 months during the civil war but that did not deter him from publishing pungent critiques of the government. Soyinka has turned down a number of government awards. Most recently, he was supposed to be awarded a centenary award conferred on 100 of the nation’s outstanding citizens over the last century but he turned down the award because he did not want to be regarded in the same vein as former Nigerian heads of states like Sani Abacha General Ibrahim Babangida, people he fought tirelessly against. He said, “I would have preferred that the entire day of infamy be ignored altogether. I’m even thinking favourably of just ignoring the obscenity, then turning up at the counter-event.”

Chinua Achebe

The late Chinua Achebe was a literary inspiration to many across the globe. He was a noovelist, poet and critic whose first book published in 1958,’Things Fall Apart’ gave him widespread recognition. The literary genius who hails from South Eastern Nigeria had immense literary acumen as he could paint vivid pictures of the places he visited and lived in as well as circumstances he found himself in. His other books which include ‘Anthills of the Savannah’ and ‘No Longer At Ease’ spoke immensely of the colonial rule in Nigeria and its ills. He had always being a critic of societal ills. His last publication before his passing, There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra brought to the forefront issues pertaining to Nigeria’s civil war. He rejected national awards time and time again and according to him, it was his way of protesting the political and economic condition in Nigeria. He died in Boston in March 2013 after battling an illness. He was aged 82 when he passed on.

Tunde Bakare

Pastor Tunde Bakare is a Nigerian many people regard in high esteem. An evangelist and an opinionated authority on Nigerian political issues, Pastor Tunde Bakare has a large following.  He has keenly made his intention known on various national issues and has been at the forefront of top conflicting mosts like the fuel subsidy removal.  On Monday, 31 January, the Nigerian presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, announced Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos as his running mate for the 2011 Nigerian presidential election and he accepted the position. CPC lost the presidential election to PDP, and Pastor Bakare has not relented in being critic of the Nigerian government and leadership. He rejected a gift of a cow sent to him at Christmas by the President himself.

Chief Gani Fawehinmi

Chief Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi was a lawyer par excellence. He was a author, publisher, philanthropist, social critic, human and civil rights lawyer, politician and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Born in Ondo State, Gani was one of the best lawyers in Nigeria while he was alive. His Wikipedia page suggests that he “tenaciously and uncompromisingly pursued and crusaded his beliefs, principles and ideals for the untrammelled rule of law, undiluted democracy, all embracing and expansive social justice, protection of fundamental human rights and respect for the hopes and aspirations of the masses who are victims of misgovernment of the affairs of the Nation.”
Chief Barr. Gani Fawehinmi rejected one of the highest national honours that can be bestowed on a citizen by the Nigerian government – Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2008. He never failed to be blunt on issues of national proportion and was always objective till he passed on in 2009.

Femi Kuti in honour of late Fela Kuti

 
Femi Anikulapo Kuti is the eldest living son of late Afrobeats legend. Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He has travelled the world and has performed in numerous countries helping to export our own brand of African music heavily laden with the unique African culture. He has been nominated for four Grammy awards  in the world music category in 2003, 2010, 2012 and 2013. He carried on his father’s footsteps and has become the beacon through which his father’s legacy shines on. Femi recently turned down the centenary award dedicated to his late father. According to him, “the family would not honour the awards unless the government first of all apologies for the murder of their grandmother and the burning down of their father’s house Kalakuta Republic”