June 12: Presidency Regrets Honouring Living Activists As Dead
The Presidency has expressed regret over an error in President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day address in which Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Dr. Edwin Madunagu were wrongly listed as deceased in national honours announced by the president on Thursday.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the inclusion of Fasoranti and Madunagu, in the posthumous award category was a mistake and regrettable.
Fasoranti, 99, is the leader of Afenifere, the apex Yoruba socio-political group with a long history of engagement in Nigeria’s democratic development, while Madunagu, 79, is a Marxist writer and activist.
During his speech before a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday, Tinubu unveiled a list of democracy icons to be recognised for their contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Onanuga, in a statement titled “Democracy Day National Honours’ List: Corrigendum,” said both men are “very much alive and, therefore, should not have appeared in the posthumous category.”
He noted that the error has been acknowledged with deep regret and promised that corrections will be made across all State House digital platforms.
“Under the Posthumous Award category, the names of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the Afenifere leader, and Dr. Edwin Madunagu were incorrectly included.
“We sincerely regret this oversight. We shall make the necessary corrections across all State House digital platforms,” he said.
Among those Tinubu had named for posthumous recognition were Kudirat Abiola, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and journalist Dele Giwa.
June 12: Presidency Regrets Honouring Living Activists As Dead is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
