SEE Why Fawehinmi, Fela Families, Soyinka Reject Centenary Awards

As the Federal Government honours 100 persons today with Centenary awards as part of Nigeria’s Centenary celebration, the families of late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and afrobeat king, Fela Anikulapo Kuti have rejected the post humous awards for both late Fawehinmi and Fela even as Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka also mulls rejecting the award.

*President Jonathan, middle, with other world leaders in Abuja yesterday

Professor Soyinka is on the list alongside the likes of Professor Chinua Achebe, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu, Nwankwo Kanu, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chief Mike Adenuga and Pastor Enoch Adeboye, among others.
But Professor Soyinka said: “I would have preferred that the entire day of infamy be ignored altogether. I’m even thinking favourably of just ignoring the obscenity, then turning up at the counter-event.”
Professor Soyinka, however, said he will endeavour, to be at the centenary awards planned in London on June 27 during which diasporans will honour 100 outstanding Nigerians in the UK. At a gala dinner due to take place at Waltham Forest Town Hall in East London tagged Nigerian Centenary Awards UK, diasporans will hand out honours to 100 Nigerians who have excelled in various fields in the UK over the last 100 years.
Also, Femi Kuti, son of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has said that the family would not accept any centenary award in his honour.

Femi who made the statement through a Twitter correspondence while stating that the family has not been officially informed about any centenary award for Fela, noted that the Federal Government should first apologise for killing his grandmother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and burning of Kalakuta Republic.

“We have not heard such but I can speak for myself, Federal Government should first apologise for the killing of our grandmother and the burning of Kalakuta,” he wrote.
Asked if the family would accept the award if the government apologised for the two wrongs mentioned, Femi said he doubts if the family would accept the award.
“Like I said we have not heard anything from the Federal Government. But I doubt if the family will accept the award.”
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, is being honoured in the ‘Internationally Acclaimed Artistes, Literary Icons and Journalists’ category.
Likewise, the family of the late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawheinmi has turned down his nomination for a centenary posthumous award.
The family cited the nomination of the former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, for the same award, the unbridled killing of students by insurgents in the North Eastern part of the country and the incessant corruption reeking across the country, including the alleged missing of $20 billion from NNPC as reasons for rejecting the nomination.
According to the letter sent to the presidency via the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, and signed by Mohammed Fawehinmi, for and on behalf of late Gani Fawehinmi family, the family said they acknowledged the receipt of the letter and commended the federal government for considering their father for the honour but cited the reasons above for turning down the offer.