Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, an All Nigeria Peoples Party [ANPP] Board of Trustees member, and former Executive Governor of Yobe State, has been awarded with the enviable Mo Ibrahim Exemplary Grassroots Leadership Quality in Africa Prize/Award.
In a letter signed by Professor Michael E. Meadows of Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Senator Ibrahim, was informed of the decision of the screening committee, led by Professor Ali A. Mazrui, to select him along with nine other recipients from nine other African countries for the maiden edition of its Grassroots Leadership Award.
The ten awardees are scheduled to be formally presented with their prizes on 19th January, 2013, at Nelson Mandela Auditorium, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
‘‘Please be informed that you have been named as one of the ten[10] award winners of the maiden edition of the above mentioned grassroots leadership award, which is designed to honour some distinguished grassroots political leaders of African origin, as a first major step to enhancing grassroots leadership capital in the continent of Africa,’’ the letter reads.
‘‘The screening committee, led by Professor Ali A. Mazrui called for nomination of candidates from recognized civil society groups and religious leaders across the region since July 2012. The following three parameters were used objectively to evaluate the leadership impact made by individual’s award winner during the period under review;
‘‘1.Level of socio-political stability occasioned by poverty reduction. 2.The rate of execution of coordinated public policies.3.Exhibition of grassroots leadership currency in line with global requirements. Your physical presence will be highly appreciated, as we do not encourage proxy representation in view of the fact that the event is holding in African soil for the first time. The even will mark a significant milestone in our collective quest to making Africa the hub of grassroots development, driven by adroit leadership and good governance.’’
Senator Ibrahim’s own prize/award is delineated as ‘‘Alleviation of Poverty/Desertification Programmes’’ as poverty alleviation programmes and desert control initiateves are prerequisites to improving the socio-economic environment of Yobe, Nigeria and Africa in general.
Other Africans that received the Exemplary Grassroots Leadership Quality in Africa prize in various other descriptions are Abdurahman Ibn Amair of Egypt, Mike Nkuda Kwshi of Ghana, Mtheu Sanda Perie of Gabon, Marilyn Setwhandhi of Botwana, Seusoutu Ngwelie of Malawi, Si’du B. Ismaila of Ethiopia, Ali Buba T. Nasir of Tunisia, Ngualonu Alfred J. of Kenya and Ebrahim Patel of South Africa.
Mo Ibrahim Foundation was the initiative of the Sudanese telecoms multi millionaire businessman, Mo Ibrahim, to recognize leaders committed to good governance in their individual countries considering that after 50 years of end of colonial rule, Africa is still ravaged by coups, wars, sit tight rulers and visionless leadership.
Signed:
Hon Emma Eneukwu
National Publicity Secretary
ANPP
14-12-12
