Jonathan bags African award for deepening democracy, Peace, Security

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Immediate Past President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has been announced the winner of the African Leadership Magazine Africa Peace and Security Leader of the Year 2020 award for deepening democracy.

Jonathan came well ahead of many other distinguished nominees across the African continent in a keenly contested poll after scoring over 80% of the total votes cast in the category.

Dr Ken Giami, publisher of the United Kingdom-based magazine, who announced the award at the U.K. Head Office of the group stated that Dr. Jonathan was overwhelmingly chosen by poll respondents for his commitment in deepening democracy, peace and security across the African continent.

Giami

Giami stated: “the former President who has led several African Union (AU) and ECOWAS missions across the continent,emerged winner after scoring over 80 per cent of the total votes cast in the category, in a keenly contested poll.”

Jonathan was announced as the winner in the 9th edition of the annual African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Award, alongside 12 other distinguished Africans, including: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization, WHO, as African of the Year 2020; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, as African Political Leader of the Year.

Others are, Mo Ibrahim, founder, Mo Ibrahim foundation, as the African Philanthropist of the year 2020; Graca Machel, as African Climate Champion of the Year 2020.

The magazine’s release indicated that the poll attracted over 120,000 votes on the ALM website, over 7 million active online engagement during the voting period and over 5000 votes via email.

The winners it stated shall be decorated and presented with honour instruments on February 26th, 2021, during the annual African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Award ceremony.

“This year, the event is billed to hold virtually and set to host influential Africans in business, politics, and all spheres of African leadership spectrum”, the statement added.

In a further brakedown on the selection process, the magazine stated: “The African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year which is in its 9th year is an annual award reserved for distinguished Africans, who have blazed the trail in the year under review.

“Nominees are shortlisted and subsequently selected from results gathered via a Call for the nomination – traditionally promoted via paid online and offline campaigns across the continent, Europe, and the Americas. The call for nomination is the first step in a multi-phased process.” the release stated.