By Edith Ike-Eboh
Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Bayo Onanuga, is scheduled to deliver a goodwill message, on behalf of the Press, at the Special National Investiture ceremony to honour the June 12 pro-democracy heroes.
Onanuga, a veteran journalist, was among many media practitioners who suffered persecution during the military era in the country.
In August 1996, Amnesty International reported that Onanuga, then Editor-in-chief of The News and PM news was thought to be held by the State Security Service at their Lagos headquarters, and may have been ill-treated in custody.
According to the programme of the investiture ceremony to be performed by President Muhammadu Buhari, sighted by NAN, Onanuga is listed as the second speaker in the section of goodwill messages after Ayo Obe (Civil Society).
Other goodwill messages to be delivered at the event and their speakers are: Chief Frank Kokori (Labour), Femi Falana , SAN (Lawyers/activists), Prof Wole Soyinka, Fidelis Tapgun (Representing SDP Governors from the North), Chief Olusegun Osoba (SDP Governors from the South) and Senator Jonathan Zwingina (Representing Hope ’93 MKO Abiola campaign organisation.
Other speakers include Asiwaji Bola Tinubu, former Speaker, House of Representatives, Agunwa Anekwe, former Senate Presidents, Iyorchia Ayu and Ameh Ebute, respectively.
NAN reports that President Buhari will confer posthumous national honours on Chief M.K.O. Abiola as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and Chief Gani Fawehinmi as the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
The President will also decorate Ambassador Babagana Kingibe with GCON at the special investiture ceremony. (NAN)
