It was a celebration of men and women of valour who stood to be counted in the journey to enact the Freedom of Information Act in Nigeria as they were honoured with different awards at the maiden edition of the FOI Awards in Abuja on Friday.

Also honoured were individuals and organisations that have demonstrated the highest level of compliance and application of the Freedom of Information Act since its promulgation ten years ago.

Organised by the International Press Centre in collaboration with the Media Rights Agenda, the awards recognized and rewarded individuals,organisations and public institutions that have made significant contributions toward the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria as well as in ensuring the effective implementation of the Freedom of Information of Information Act, 2021.

On the list of those honoured was the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who on May 28, 2011, “courageously and commendably signed into law the FOI bill, after it had been passed by the National Assembly a second time”.

According to Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of International Press Centre,” the first time the bill was passed by the National Assembly in 2007, President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was then in office, famously declined to assent to it”. Award was also given to the Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi whose state was the first among the 36 states in Nigeria to have an FOI law.

Welcoming awardees and guests to the event Mr. Arogundade restated the tortuous journey of the FOI bill, and listed the roles played by some parliamentarians and civil society organisations to ensure that the bill came to reality.

“Despite the virulent opposition, there were men and women of courage in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, who stood firm and shared the FOI vision with the media and the civil society. I cannot but mention the likes of Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Hon. Jerry Ugokwe, Hon. Abdul Oroh (formerly of CLO), Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, Senator Ayogu Eze, etc, who all stood to be counted”

Giving kudos to media organisations for their strident support, Mr. Arogundade said “we cannot take for granted the immense support of media organisations and individual journalists who contributed in no small measure towards bringing FOIA into reality. We believe many of them will be in the league of those to be honoured at subsequent outings”.

In a goodwill message Clement Boutlinger, Head of Democracy, Governance and Migration section of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS said there cannot be true democracy anywhere without a free press and the performance of the Press is enhanced when it has access to information.

The event was chaired by Hon Justice Stella Anukan, Judge of the African Court of Human Rights, Arusha, Tanzania who describes part of her Court’s mandate to include strengthening respect for human rights in Africa.She said she was glad to Chair the occasion because it was honouring people who are making information to be meaningful.

On the honours list were the following individuals and organisations:

Essay competition category
Award conferred on OBANLA RIDWAN
Winner Freedom of Information (FOI) National Essay Competition FOR STUDENTS OF MASS COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM on the theme: “Deepening Democracy: The Impact of FOI Act 10 Years After”

Award conferred on NENRITMWA MOHAMMED
First Runner-Up Freedom of Information (FOI) National Essay Competition FOR STUDENTS OF MASS COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM on the theme: “Deepening Democracy: The Impact of FOI Act 10 Years After”

Special Honours
This Special Recognition Award is conferred on DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR (Former President, Federal Republic of Nigeria) At the National Freedom of Information Awards 2021 For your substantial and lasting contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria by your bold and patriotic act in signing into Law the Freedom of Information Bill on May 28, 2011

This Special Recognition Award is conferred on DR. JOHN KAYODE FAYEMI (Executive Governor of Ekiti State & Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum) For your significant contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Ekiti State and Nigeria, being the first Governor in Nigeria to adopt a Freedom of Information Law for a State.

FOI REQUESTS CATEGORY (individual category)
Award conferred on ATIKU SARKI
(Individual Category) having made the highest number of requests for information under the FOI Act between May 29, 2015 and October 31, 2021

Award conferred on IBRAHIM GARBA MARYAM (Individual Category) having made the second highest number of requests for information under the FOI Act between May 29, 2015 and October
31, 2021

FOI REQUESTS CATEGORY (Private organisation category)
Award conferred on PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (PPDC) (Organisational Category) having made the highest number of requests for information under the FOI Act between May 29, 2015 and October 31, 2021

Award conferred on INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING (ICIR) (Organisational Category) having made the second highest number of requests for information under the FOI Act between May 29, 2015 and October 31, 2021

FOI AWARDS (Public institution category)
NIGERIAN INVESTMENT PROMOTION COMMISSION (NIPC) Is hereby conferred with the FOI Best Practice Recognition Award (Public Institutions Category) having been adjudged the most responsive public institution that has adopted innovative and access friendly practices and procedures to ensure the public’s right of access to information in Nigeria

BUREAU OF PUBLIC SERVICE REFORMS (BPSR) conferred with the FOI Best Practice Recognition Award (Public Institutions Category) having been adjudged the second most responsive public institution that has adopted innovative and access-friendly practices and procedures to ensure the public’s right of access to information in Nigeria

NATIONAL ORIENTATION AGENCY (NOA) Is hereby conferred with Public Institution Champion for Freedom of Information Award for being the most popularly voted Freedom of Information public institution and for activities raising awareness about the FOI Act among public institutions and Nigerian citizens.
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Special Recognition Category
Award conferred on MR MAXWELL KADIRI
in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on PROF. CHIDI ANSELM ODINKALU
in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on DR. JIBRIN IBRAHIM
in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on MR OSARO ODEMWINGIE
in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on MS ANGELA AGOAWIKE
in recognition of her contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on DR. SAM AMADI
in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on MR TUNDE FAGBOHUNLU (SAN)
in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on AMB. JERRY SONNY UGOKWE
in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on HON. ABIKE DABIRI-EREWA
in recognition of her contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on HON. ABDUL OROH in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria.

Award conferred on HON. DIMEJI BANKOLE (Former Speaker of the House of Representatives) in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on SENATOR VICTOR NDOMA-EGBA (SAN)
in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

Award conferred on SENATOR AYOGU EZE in recognition of his contribution towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria

FOI Awards (Stakeholders category)
This Award is conferred on NIGERIA UNION OF JOURNALISTS (NEWSPAPERS PROPRIETORS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (NPAN)
NIGERIAN GUILD OF EDITORS (NGE), BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID),OPEN SOCIETY JUSTICE INITIATIVE (OSJI), EUROPEAN UNION (EU)