Foremost among the honourees is Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, honoured for his unwavering commitment to justice and democratic ideals.
Also recognised were prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, for their decades-long activism and advocacy for good governance.
The awards also paid tribute to key figures in the June 12 democratic struggle. Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late Chief Moshood Abiola, was posthumously awarded the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) for her bravery and sacrifice in the quest to validate the 1993 presidential election.
Other posthumous recipients include Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (GCFR), Prof. Humphrey Nwosu (CON), Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (CON), and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa (CON), along with his fellow Ogoni Nine, who were granted full presidential pardons.
