The Trans-Africa Student’s initiative (TRASI AFRICA) has presented the African DISTINGUISHED Personality Award to the Founder and National Coordinator of the foremost civil society organisation in Nigeria- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA), Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko.
The leaders of TRASI-AFRICA who stormed the national secretariat of HURIWA in Abuja on Wednesday evening to do the presentation were Hon. Kobehi Kosa from the Universitie de Cocodi Ivory Coast; Ikhina Sameera from Espam Formation University, Republic of Benin; Hon. Francisca Totti from Universitie De Duala, Cameroon.
The Nigerian representatives were Sen. Musa Abdulrauf; Comrade Igwe Franklin and Mohammed Ibrahim.
Speaking at the event the leader of the delegation who doubles as Secretary General of the African Students Union body Mohammed Ibrahim stated thus: “Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen present, permit me on behalf of the entirety of students under the coverage of Trans Africa Students’ Initiative welcome each and everyone here to this dignified occasion of conferring honor on a man of honor, an intellectual juggernaut, A renowned professional endowed with journalism best practices, an agitator for different progressive initiatives, a man of outstanding understanding and indeed a mentor to us in the person ofComrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, An outstanding Human Rights Activist and The National Coordinator, Human Right Writers Association of Nigeria. We thank God Almighty for not only granting us journey mercies from our various states and Countries but most importantly for sparing our lives to be a witness to this event the entirety of African’s hold in high esteem.”
“The TRANS-AFRICA STUDENTS’ INITIATIVE [TRASI Africa] is a PanAfrica Development driven Initiative birthed by the resolutions of the All Africa’s Students Union 3rd Annual Youth/Students Summit which held in 2012, tasking the upcoming generations on contributing vehemently to the development of Africa as a Continent. TRASI Africa has since inception achieved her constituted aims and objectives by building, training and encouraging the teeming Youths and Students via taking part in and also organizing programs and projects all over Africa. TRASI Africa has been able to acquire a wider outreach as her membership now cut across eleven (11) African countries; Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Liberia, Botswana, Cameroon, Republic of Benin, Togo and Ivory Coast.”
“Each of the Country chapters coordinates her members in such a way as to channel our exuberances towards contributing our quota to the development of our nascent democracy, as such we put peculiarities in development and take challenges of our countries into cognizance in choosing our activities, employing contemporary communications and conferencing means – discussing topical issues, such as quality education, insecurity in Africa, Sustainable Development, contributions of students and youths in economic and social development amongst a host of others. All this is in adherence to the words of Martin Luther King Jnr who said “Our Life begins to end the day we become silent about things that matter”.”
“In doing all this we seek to find ourselves Role Models, outstanding institutions and mentors in life as we have found in Our Host, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, who was nominated during TRASI’s leadership roundtable discussion in recognition of his strides over the years – strides such as his effective discharge of duties, his agitations for enhanced public service delivery, his sterling leadership demonstrated in courses he spear heads and offices held in times past, his administrative sagacity, his expertise and proficiency which has prompted the request for his service in various strata’s, his humanitarian emancipation advocacy strides, societal development strides amongst many other glories which are yet unsung. , Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko has proven himself to be a man of charisma who can stick out his neck for the course he believes in, TRASI Africa and the entirety of African Students has reckoned you as a man of courage who has zero tolerance for ineffectiveness, a seasoned intellectual with outstanding know-how techniques, a noble champion who not only is known for effective service delivery but one who campaigns for it, A patriotic Nigerian, A benevolent statesman who is ideologically focused in enhanced public service dispensation, societal development, nation building, intellectual guidance to acolytes and protégés under his jurisdiction.”
“Our Center of Synergy Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, this amongst many other reasons is why we would always associate ourselves with you and many other individuals and organizations who have singled themselves out in positive contributions to our Continent, we in turn shall always be in the vanguard of projecting and engaging in activities that would bring pride and honor to everyone that is associated with us as members, ambassadors or patrons, we shall find salient point, areas of partnership with your distinguished personality especially with regards to capacity building of students of Africa in germane areas that would improve our educational, psychological, Socio-economic Pursuits.”
“Distinguished Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, Ladies and Gentlemen, We know you are persons of magnanimous disposition and we are left in no doubt that your benevolence would be brought to bare on Africa students.”
“Before I Conclude permit us to sympathize with Africans around the globe who have lost their lives due to insurgency, wanton killings, abductions and other unprecedented and uncalled for acts of selfish individuals such as the gruesome murder of 148 students of the Kenya National Students Union in Garisa State University Northeast Kenya, the Xenophobic Attacks featuring discrimination still ongoing in South Africa and also the insurgency attacks in Northern Nigeria, Vandalization in Southern Nigeria. These acts are unpatriotic and a blatant betrayal on Pan-Africanism, we call on all relevant authorities to arise to the occasion in permanently nipping all this ugly trends in the bud quickly and call on well-meaning Nigerians to use whatever means at their disposal to condemn this dastardly act.”
“Finally, I want to say on behalf of African students without fear or favor that you have been found worthy of receiving TRASI’sAfrica’s Patriotic Personality Honor, we call on all Nigerians to follow the footsteps of Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and to give him their unalloyed support as with his contributions things would always get better and better.”
Accepting the award Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko urged the Students to take their studies very seriously and to become great Ambassadors of their nations.
