June 13, (THEWILL) – The Presidency has issued a public apology following an embarrassing mix-up in the Democracy Day National Honours list, where elder statesman Pa Reuben Fasoranti and renowned scholar-activist Dr Edwin Madunagu were mistakenly listed as deceased.
Both men were wrongly included in the posthumous category of the honours announced by President Bola Tinubu during his Democracy Day address at the joint session of the National Assembly.
Fasoranti, 98, is the national leader of the Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere and a prominent voice in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
Dr Madunagu, a Marxist thinker and human rights advocate, is widely respected for his role in the pro-democracy movement and his extensive writings on governance and social justice.
They were among over 80 individuals honoured by President Tinubu for their contributions to the country’s democratic development, civil liberties, and freedom of expression.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency acknowledged the mistake and described it as a regrettable oversight.
“During his Democracy Day address at the joint session of the National Assembly earlier today, President Bola Tinubu announced a list of pro-democracy activists and national figures to be honoured for their significant contributions to the restoration of democratic governance in Nigeria.
“Under the posthumous award category, the names of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the Afenifere leader, and Dr Edwin Madunagu were incorrectly included. Both distinguished individuals are very much alive and, therefore, should not have appeared in the posthumous category,” the statement read.
Onanuga expressed regret over the error and promised that the necessary corrections would be made across all official government platforms.
“We sincerely regret this oversight. We shall make the necessary corrections across all State House digital platforms. We appreciate your understanding,” he added.
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