An organization with an affiliation to United Nations, the African Youth Global Network, has awarded Prince Princewill Tonye with the Nelson Mandela Pan-African Peace Ambassador Award for 2016.
The Rivers State politician and prominent entrepreneur received this award due to his contributions towards humanity in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large.
While presenting the award to Prince Tonye, the President of the African Youth Global Network, Dr. Laurent Agbemadji, summarized most of the selfless activities, done by Princewill over the years. From the flood relief intervention Princewill carried out in 2012, where his intervention was the first relief program to kick-off, reaching thousands of people who needed help even before the Federal Government could move in; to his various youth mentoring schemes, work with orphans, job creation activity and his support for entertainment.
A well as his protest and eventual resignation as Chairman of the Niger Delta Vision 2020 subcommittee was a milestone in recognizing that the invasion of Gbaramatu was the wrong approach. This led to an alternative as seen in the amnesty program. Not a direct benefit to him, but to his community. A similar display of selfless intent when he supported Amaechi in 2007 as opposed to receive money to fight him.
He stated that the resolution to put Prince Tonye's name on this year’s award was reached early this year at the organization's executive meeting in its headquarters in Accra, Ghana. This was a follow-up to his nomination by Nigerian delegates at a similar meeting in December last year.
He noted that Prince Princewill’s award was approved in a month, whereas it normally takes others a year approval and when he was informed of the award, in his usual fashion, he was very reluctant to receive it but accepted this after his research.
Prince Princewill Tonye before receiving the award from the organization
Others who have received this award in the past include Barrister Abdoulaye Wade, Former President of Senegal, Hon. Soro Guillaume, current National Assembly President of Ivory Coast and HRH Chief Alfred Diete-Spiff, Amanyanabo of Town Brass and First Governor of Rivers State; just to mention a few.
After receiving the award, Prince Princewill Tonye thanked the team for the honour and assured them there will be no change in pace as he continued the fight for youths.
He however observed that as he was fighting for youths, he was still doubtful that they were truly fighting for themselves. He noted that their "semi involvement" in the electoral process, leaves a lot to be desired and where they did get involved, “it is primarily to rig or to participate in electoral violence”.
He quipped "If youths changed their agenda, the agenda for their countries will also change. This is why despite calls to run again, I will not be wasting my money and time to do so. The system does not want the best for Nigeria, so I refuse to be a part of it. My theory is if you can't beat them, fight them."
Meanwhile the long awaited production ’76 is finally out as it was premiered recently in Lagos, the entertainment capital of the country. The film having toured some key festivals around the world, has its homecoming debut in Cinemas Nationwide on November 25. To welcome ’76 back to Nigeria, the organizers reached out to the Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari who pledged her full support.
Representing Her Excellency at the premiere the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode after the film, "this is one of the best things that I have seen made from Nigeria and Her Excellency Madam Aisha who insisted I must be here will get the full report as soon as I get back. I dropped everything to attend this event and it could not have been a better use of my time. In the end, I was glued to my seat not wanting to even get up. You and your team have done Nigeria proud. Thank you."
L-R: Prince Princewill Tonye, Sen. Ben Bruce (granting an interview) & others
Also in at the Premiere of “76” were Senator Ben Bruce, the First Daughter of General Murtala Mohammed, Mrs. Aisha Oyebode, represented the entire family as well a host of celebrities, sat down to watch the two hours film.
Aisha Oyebode nee Murtala, who heads the Murtala Muhammed Foundation was glowing with praises after watching the film. "You people have made an amazing film, unlike any other and what you did with the music is a work of art on its own. I'm speechless. Impressed does not even begin to describe the way I feel. You were brutally honest, but artistically true."
Senator Ben Bruce who had earlier in the week predicted that the film would smash Box Office records, raised his predictions even higher after watching the full film to say that it would surpass $2million in Nigeria and Ghana alone. He stated that nobody has done such a good film recently and opined that will appeal to the young, the old, women, men, lovers of comedy and history. Noting it has pain, laughter, suspense and action all tied up in one and it is so masterfully crafted, you don't want it to end.
At the end of the night, the cast and crew of “76” came out and took a bow to a more than five minutes standing ovation. It could not have gone any better. They noted that “76” will be aired in Cinemas Nationwide from November 25 but makes its next stop as the closing film for the African Film Festival in Lagos on November 18 at the Filmhouse IMAX Cinema in Lekki.
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