Former President Goodluck Jonathan has emerged as the African Leadership Magazine Person of the Year, 2015.
Jonathan emerged ahead of many other high profile nominees drawn from all over Africa including Dr. Strive Masiyiwa, founder, ECONET Wireless; Mr. Tony Elumulelu, Chairman of Heirs Holding; Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women; Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank; Dr. Koffi
Anan; Former UN Secretary General; and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
National Leader, All Progressive Congress, Nigeria.
The news of the award was communicated to the former President in letter signed by Senator Cletus Wortoson, Former, Liberian Pro tem
Senate President and Chair, 2015 African Leadership Person of the Year
Selection Committee.
He noted that the Selection Committee and the African Leadership Advisory Board placed a very high premium on Jonathan’s commitment towards deepening democracy on the continent, adding that “there is no one best suited at the moment than Your Excellency, to advise the continent’s leaders on the merits of good governance and enduring democracy.”
“Your popular mantra of ‘one man one vote’ and ‘my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,’ is a message that must be preached loud and clear on the continent, hence our endorsement.”
The letter said further: “It is with great pleasure that I bring you the news of your selection as the African Leadership Magazine Person of the Year, 2015.
“You were selected ahead of other equally distinguished Africans, including: Dr. Strive Masiyiwa, founder, ECONET Wireless; Mr. Tony
Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holding; Mr. Mo Dewji, Tanzania Business
Man & MP; Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women; Dr.
Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank; Dr. Koffi Anan;
Former UN Secretary General; and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National
Leader, All Progressive Congress, Nigeria.
“In adopting you as our choice, we placed a very high premium on your
commitment towards deepening democracy on the continent – a
characteristic which is uncommon among most African leaders at the
highest level today. Chief among the many factors we considered was
your efforts towards promoting good governance in Africa-through the
promotion of free and fair elections across the continent. Your recent
assignment to Tanzania received accolades and international acclaim,
because, you discharged the responsibility most creditably.
“We resolved that there is no one best suited at the moment than Your
Excellency, to advise the continent’s leaders on the merits of good
governance and enduring democracy. The board is fully persuaded that
you have served your country, Nigeria, meritoriously, conducted a free
and fair election, in which you lost and yet conceded defeat, a
development seeing by many in the continent as historical. Your
popular mantra of “one man one vote” and “my ambition is not worth the
blood of any Nigerian,” is a message that must be preached loud and
clear on the continent, hence our endorsement.
“This resolution was reached after a constructive assessment carried
out by the committee, which included members of the advisory board and
the editorial team, including: Dr. Joyce Aryee, former Ghana Minister
for Education; Rt. Hon. Kenneth Merende, former Speaker of kenya’s
10th Parliament and Chairman of the board of Kenya Power Company; Dr.
Tahir Aktar, Chairman, Adams Holding Plc, Dr. ken Giami, Publisher,
African Leadership Magazine.”
A list of past recipients of the African Leadership Awards include
H.E Hifikepunye Pohamba, former President of Namibia, H.E. Jakaya
Kikwete, former President of Tanzania; H.E Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma,
President of Sierra Leone; H.E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,
President of the Republic of Liberia; H. E John Kufour former President of Ghana, Dr. Mo Ibrahim, Founder Mo Ibrahim Noble Prize for Leadership; Dr. Donald Kebaruka, former President of the African Development Bank Group; Hon. Xavier Luc-Duval, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Republic of Mauritius.
Others are Mr. Mohammed
Dewji, CEO METL Group, Tanzania, Mr. Alonzo Fulgam, International Coordinator, USAID; Chief Oba Otudeko of the Honeywell Group, H.E President Hage Geingob of Namibia, Congressman John Lewis, American Politician and Civil Right Activist, General William E “Kip” Ward,
former Commander US-Africa Command, Sport Icon Serena Jameka Williams.
