By Ebunoluwa Sessou

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has applauded the national honours conferred on veteran journalists including Sam Amuka-Pemu, Bayo Onanuga, Dare Babarinsa, and Dapo Olorunyomi, describing them as heroes of Nigeria’s democracy.

The honours were bestowed during the June 12 Democracy Day celebration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, recognizing the media trailblazers for their immense contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey. A total of 139 Nigerians were honoured for their service and sacrifices.

In a statement signed by Adeshina Oyetayo, Special Adviser to the Speaker on Research, Media, and Documentation, Obasa praised the awardees for their courage, resilience, and unwavering dedication to truth and democracy during Nigeria’s dark years of military rule.

“It is heartwarming to see these journalism greats being honoured for their courage, resilience, and for steadfastly using the power of their pen to fight the tyranny of military dictatorship,” Obasa said.

“They risked their lives and livelihoods, braving the odds, the guns, and arbitrary arrests and imprisonment to fight for the enthronement and survival of democracy in Nigeria. They are the true heroes of our democracy and deserve all the honour bestowed on them.”

Obasa encouraged the honourees to keep their passion for a better Nigeria alive, urging them to remain watchdogs of the country’s democratic process despite age or any personal challenges.

“The Nigeria you risked it all for is almost here. And we need you to continue to be the watchdog of our democracy,” he added.

Obasa described the conferment of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) title on Sam Amuka-Pemu, founder of Vanguard Newspapers, as a befitting gift for his 90th birthday, which he marks on Friday, June 13.

Alongside Amuka-Pemu, Bayo Onanuga (Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy and founder of TheNews), and Dare Babarinsa (co-founder of TELL Magazine) were also honoured with the CON title.

Others including Dapo Olorunyomi (Premium Times founder), Kunle Ajibade (TheNews), Seye Kehinde (City People), and Nosa Igiebor (TELL Magazine) received the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

Also honoured posthumously was Bagauda Kaltho, a senior correspondent with TheNews, who died in a bomb blast in 1996 during the regime of General Sani Abacha. Kaltho received a posthumous OON award.

Obasa concluded by praising the journalists’ decades-long dedication to democratic ideals and freedom of the press, noting their recognition was long overdue.