Bill Clinton
•Shortlist from 750 nominations for Teachers’ Award to be published this week
By Olaolu Olusina
Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, is making his third appearance as Special Guest at THISDAY Awards 2013, which will hold, for the first time, in the ancient city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, some 55 kilometres from Lagos.
Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, is making his third appearance as Special Guest at THISDAY Awards 2013, which will hold, for the first time, in the ancient city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, some 55 kilometres from Lagos.
The prestigious awards, the 18th edition, will hold on February 26 at a
venue known to specially invited guests as we celebrate Nigeria's best
and brightest teachers in an effort by the Editors of THISDAY to reward
the unsung heroes and highlight the challenges facing the country's
troubled education sector.
In recognition of the critical role they play in human capital
development and socio-cultural and economic advancement of the country,
readers of THISDAY have nominated over 750 of their favourite teachers
deserving of honour and celebration from primary, secondary and
university levels from across Nigeria.
A distinguished panel headed by former World Bank Vice-President, Oby
Ezekwesili, founding CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr. Fola Adeola, and
veteran journalist, Mallam Haroun Adamu, will join THISDAY Editors to
produce a shortlist of winners from the nominations to be published this
week.
The winners will be honoured by President Clinton and other world
leaders who will converge on Abeokuta in an event to be broadcast
worldwide on ARISE NEWS TELEVISION and Channels TV in Nigeria.
The choice of Abeokuta for the prestigious awards was informed by the
ancient town’s unique history and contributions to modern Nigerian
civilization and education.
Abeokuta had the first contact with the missionaries; the first
secondary school in Nigeria, Abeokuta Grammar School, which was
established in 1908; while the town also received the first Bible to
come to the country.
It was in the town that the first church, St. Peters Church, was
established in Ake. The first newspaper-Iwe Irohin Fun Awon Ara Egba Ati
Yoruba-, was also birthed in the city.
Abeokuta is the home of many icons in the country among whom are the
first Nobel Laureate for Africa, Prof. Wole Soyinka, who grew up in the
town and still lives in the community, former President Olusegun
Obasanjo who also lives in the community, which hosts his Presidential
Library, former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest
Adegunle Shonekan, and the acclaimed winner of June 12 presidential
election and business titan, Bashorun MKO Abiola.
The town also produced the first Nigerian Chief Justice of the
Federation, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola; first Nigerian lawyer, Sir Alexander
Akintola Sapara Williams; first Permanent Secretary and Head of Service
in Nigeria who was also the country’s Permanent Representatives to the
United Nations, Chief Simon Adebo, among several others including Prof.
Adeoye Lambo, one-time Deputy Director-General of World Health
Organisation; Afrobeat maestro, and late Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Incidentally, the first woman to drive a car in the country, Fela’s
mother, late Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, was also produced by the city.
Beyond the rich history of Abeokuta, the editors also considered the
strides being made to transform education by current Governor, Senator
Ibikunle Amosun, in deciding the first THISDAY Awards outside of Lagos
or Abuja.
Source: THISDAY
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