4 African Statesmen Named Lifetime Africa Achievement Awards.
Four African statesmen have been named as the recipients of the 2012 Laureate Lifetime Africa Achievement Awards.
They include three African Heads of State and Dr Mohammed “Mo” Ibrahim, Sudanese-borned British mobile communications entrepreneur and billionaire.
A statement issued by the organisers of the Awards, the Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF), named the Heads of States to receive the awards as late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills of Ghana, who will be confirmed with a posthumous Prize for Democratic Governance and Development in Africa; President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, the Prize for Leadership, National Cohesion and Stability and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, who will received the Prize for Nation Building and African Leadership.
It said Dr Ibrahim would be conferred with the prize, Action for Africa,in recognition of his dedication, commitment and appreciation that democratic governance and practises with integrity would always serve as the catalyst for political stability and sustainable economic growth that would translate into feelings of security and contentment for his country, Sudan and Africa at large.
“This exaltation of character, which is worthy of emulation, has made positive impact on the lives of his people today and will continue to sustain them for a better future. By dint of his hard work, foresight and resourcefulness, the world is waking up to a new Africa wherein the predominant theme in the emerging narrative about Africa is no longer war, famine and disease but rather strong economic performance,” it said of Dr Ibrahim.
The statement said investors were realising that Africa was good for business with “strong economic growth, business friendly reforms, mature financial institutions and some large economies add up to an enticing proposition being championed by Mo Ibrahim”.
It said Africans could attest to the value and unwavering pursuit of fairness, tolerance, excellence, peace, stability and justice for all Africans by the nominees.
“The 2012 nominated Laureates have displayed an exceptionally high level of Statesmanship that recognises no tribal barriers, political colouration and religious discrimination in the governance of their respective country as they relentlessly endeavour to liberate their peoples from poverty and all forms of deprivations,” it added.
The statement said the awards ceremony would be the Presidency at the State House in Nairobi, Kenya on December 15, 2012.???? African Heads of States, which is expected to attract the leadership of the African Union (AU), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and very eminent dignitaries from countries across the continent to witness the conferment.????
Past recipients of the notable Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize include Laureate Desmond Tutu from South Africa, Laureate Wole Soyinka from Nigeria, Laureate Cyril Ramaphosa from South Africa, Laureate Dr Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, Laureate Ismail Serageldin from Egypt, Laureate James Wolfensohn former President of the World Bank in the USA and a posthumous Prize on Laureate President Dr Kwame Nkrumah.