Daily Trust, one of the leading independent newspapers in Nigeria, has called for nominations of exemplary personalities for the coveted African of the Year 2021 award.
In a statement by acting chief executive officer of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust, Nura Daura, Sunday, the newspaper noted that ideal nominees should be ordinary Africans who have made extraordinary contributions to humanity in any field from any part of the continent.
The statement said, nominations are open from August 22, 2021 to midnight of October 22, 2021.
“The award consists of three components, namely, a permanent plaque, a certificate of merit and a cash reward in aid of the awardee or his/her chosen charity project.
“Valid entries for the 2021 award will be for works, events or activities undertaken by the nominee between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021, and nominations are to be made online at award.dailytrust.com,” he said.
According to the statement, the eventual winner will be selected by a six-member prize committee chaired by His Excellency, Mr. Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana.
Other members of the committee. who represent Africa’s regional blocs are: Ambassador Mona Omar (North Africa), Mr. Amadou Mahtar Ba (West Africa), Ms. Gwen Lister (Southern Africa), and Pastor Rigobert Minani Bihuzo (Central Africa), while Chairman of the Board of Media Trust Limited, Mr. Kabiru Yusuf, represents the award promoters.
Daura also disclosed that the presentation ceremony for the 2021 edition of the African of the Year award will hold in Abuja, Nigeria, in January 2022.
Now in its 14th edition, the African of the Year award was inaugurated in 2008 by DAILY TRUST in fulfilment of the newspaper’s commitment to African unity and sustainable development across the continent.
The maiden award was presented to a Congolese gynaecologist, Dr. Denis Mukwege, in recognition of his exemplary humanitarian offer of free reconstructive surgery to victims of rape in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018, which is 10 years after DAILY TRUST had recognised his remarkable humanitarian gesture.
