Tinubu national honours 2025 list includes posthumous awards for Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Yar’Adua, Ken Saro-Wiwa and honours for Soyinka, Kukah, Falana
Tinubu national honours 2025 were announced on Thursday during President Bola Tinubu’s State of the Nation address at the National Assembly as part of events commemorating Democracy Day.
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The President conferred a range of prestigious national awards on prominent Nigerians, honouring decades of democratic struggle and civic activism.
Among the recipients was the late Kudirat Abiola, who was posthumously conferred with the Commander of the Federal Republic title.
Renowned playwright and Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, received the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, one of Nigeria’s highest civilian honours.
President Tinubu also posthumously honoured Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Ken Saro-Wiwa and several other members of the Ogoni Nine, acknowledging their roles in Nigeria’s fight for democracy and environmental justice.
The full list featured activists, journalists, politicians and civil rights advocates, many of whom made sacrifices during the military era.
Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chief Bola Ige, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and Barrister Femi Falana were among the high-profile figures recognised.
President Tinubu further announced presidential pardons for these democracy icons, saying, “I shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon, together with others whose names shall be announced later in conjunction with the National Council of State.”
The awards, which covered a wide spectrum of professions and regional backgrounds, have sparked a mix of admiration and reflection across the country.
The honours list signals a formal recognition of Nigeria’s journey towards democratic consolidation and the enduring legacy of its unsung heroes.
The announcement also comes at a politically symbolic time, marking the significance of June 12 in Nigeria’s history—a day remembered for the annulled 1993 elections widely regarded as the freest and fairest in the nation’s history.
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The conferment of national honours and pardons on those who stood against authoritarianism reinforces the importance of preserving democratic values.
