Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has been named African Woman of the year by Transparency Africa Award, organised by African chronicle magazine. The Media house also named the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, the current chairman of African Union (AU) as African president of the year.

 

Publisher and Editor –in-chief of African chronicle, Timothy Okojie – Ave, said they arrived at both choices after a rigorous screening through an opinion poll, which was conducted through dedicated telephone lines, emails and social media.

 

Mrs. Buhari, Okojie – Ave said defeated her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo to the second position.

 

According to the organisers of the event, “The man or woman of the year award is our highly coveted honour. The award is only conferred after a thorough evaluation of each candidate’s service to humanity, guaranteeing that the recipient is worthy of such illumination.

 

Explaining the process of nomination, Okojie – Ave said readers were asked to send SMS for their choice from 1st of September 2017 to 1st of September 2018. “At the end of the e-voting, the Nigerian First Lady came tops as well as President Paul Kagame topping the African President of the year.”

 

 

Mrs. Buhari’s pet project which focuses on physically challenged and the girl child, according to the organisers, got her the ticket for her passion for the less privileged in the society, “her zeal to see that women are empowered from the grassroots to the top accounted for the massive votes she garnered from voters who participated in the e-voting.”

 

As we call her African Florence Nightingale, she has shaped the cause of women development in Africa and put a smile on the faces of women in general without making noise about it,” the media house said.

 

Also speaking on President Paul Kagame, the organisers said “Kagame is one African president that has deepened democracy, defends democratic norms of good governance, best practice, rule of law, equity, fairness and justice and his affirmative action on women participation in politics with over 70 percent of women in government. Rwanda is today the best country in the ease of doing business index in Africa.”

 

Winners in other categories include, Prof. T.B Joshua, CP. Edgal Imohimi, Gov. Ben Ayade, Elder Famous Enearu, Babatunde Wilkey, Jim Ovia, Ebere C. Obiano, Hakeem Ali, Hadiza Balla Usman, Julie Donli Okah, Taiwo Afolabi, Segun Agbaje, Cocacola, BUA, GLO, UPS, UBA, etc.

 

The award will be presented to the winners on October 26, 2018 at Lagos Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Ikeja  Lagos, while Liberia’s President George Weah will be a special guest of honour.

 

 

SOURCE: TORI.NG