By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Occurrences of the 2023 general elections resonated loudly at the maiden edition of the Courageous Citizens award ceremony held in Abuja at the weekend.

The award which was organized by the Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy (NACJD) was to recognize ordinary Nigerians who believe that a new Nigeria is possible and fought for change in 2023.

(What they did, and where they demonstrated their courage)

The awardees were grouped into three categories which include, the Courageous Citizen Order of Distinction, (CCOD), that went to the Labour Party Presidential Candidate and former Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Mr Peter Gregory Obi; the Courageous Citizens Order of Freedom, (CCOF), which captured persons like Ex-president Obasanjo and leaders of some ethnic nationalities, and prominent religious groups, and social media influencers and media personalities, who were very vocal towards the journey for the desired change.

The third was for the Courageous Citizens Medal of Valour, (CCMV), which sought to recognize individuals who were the real foot soldiers at the forefront of the battle for change in the build-up and during the 2023 general elections.

The awardees in the second category went to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, Right Honourable Dennis Nnamdi AGBO who led the Vanguard for change and won the election under LP, to represent Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency of Enugu State in the National Assembly; Aisha Yesufu, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo, ace television host, Rufai Oseni of Arise Television, Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV, and Dr Ordinary Ahmed Isa of the Berekete radio fame.

Late Barrester Oyibo Chukwu, the Labour Party, (LP) Senatorial candidate for Enugu East Senatorial Zone of Enugu State, and Late Victoria Chintex from Kafanchan, Kaduna state the Labour Party Woman Leader from Kafanchan, Kaduna South in Kaduna State, both of whom were gruesomely murdered before the presidential election, were equally awarded post humously.

Responding to the award as the Courageous Citizen of Valour, Hon. Dennis Agbo said he was heartened to know that his little efforts in the 2023 struggles to free Nigeria didn’t go unnoticed.

To him, “the fight to free Nigeria has just began. The battle for freedom is not usually easy but it is not insurmountable. The 2023 elections was the take-off and we did not lose face’. He stressed.

He admonished Nigerians especially the youths not to lose hope in the battle for change saying, “a new Nigeria is truly possible and we must all unite to rescue our nation from elements among us who indulge in State capture, rape of our democracy, and the pillaging of our common patrimony ”.

Aisha Yesuf in her own reaction openly declared, “2023 mandate was stolen and am not afraid to say it. We are in prison today because we are afraid of dying, but I must tell you say, all die na die ” .

She said “the leaders have failed the youths and they are leaving the country in droves and because they have destroyed the country, America, Canada, Australia and the rest of the world are now giving Nigeria different stringent immigration conditions “.

“We are waiting for them in 2027 and we will not allow them to repeat what they did in 2023. They did not win the election and they Know it. They are giving us old National Anthem. l spoke against it and they said they will arrest me and am waiting for them”, she declared.

The leader of the Middle Belt Forum, (MBF) Bitrus Pogu in his goodwill message chronicled the adoption of Peter Obi as the preferred candidate of the four ethnic nationalities comprising of Afenifere, MBF, Ohaneze and the South-South Pandef. He noted that the zones first agreed that the presidency should go to the south and that having reached that consensus, the leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo reasoned that since Obasanjo from the Southwest had been President, and Osibanjo from same region was just leaving office as Vice President, the Southeast should be given the Presidential slot because South-south had produced Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Pogu further stated that having reached that understanding, the three regions asked Ohaneze and the Soith East to give them a sellable candidate, hence the emergence of Peter Obi, away from the legacy Parties, and on an untainted Labour Party platform.

“And as soon as that happened we mobilized our people to support him because we believe in equity and the unity of the country”.

The Chairman of the Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy, (NACJD), Eddie Oparaoji had earlier in his welcoming address emphasized that the event was put together to honour the true heroes of “our democracy ”.

He described the awardees as ordinary citizens who for the purpose of change had demonstrated extraordinary courage to achieve remarkable feats under grave danger and risk. “These awe-inspiring individuals have proven to all of us that with resilience, Compassion and unwavering determination we can achieve the desired change in our country”. Oparaoji stressed that, “this momentous occasion marks a significant milestone in our collaborative pursuit for Justice.”

The high point of the event was a video presentation of flashbacks of the 2023 General election, including Ex-President Obasanjo’s patriotic address to the Independent National Election, (INEC) to organise a re-run of the flawed Presidential election; the world press conferences addressed by Peter Obi and his Vice, and clips of various violence and irregularities recorded during both the presidential and gubernatorial elections of 2023.