Nigeria's leading independent newspaper, Daily Trust has invited nominations for the annual African of the award for the year 2022.
Nominations are open from September 12 2022, closing October 24 2022.
In a statement, Media Trust Group chief executive, Mounir Gwarzo said the award is for ordinary Africans who have made extraordinary contributions to humanity in any part of the continent.
"The award consists of three components, namely, a permanent plaque, a certificate of merit and cash reward in aid of the awardee or his/her chosen charity project," Gwarzo said.
"Valid entries for the 2022 award will be for works, events or activities undertaken by the nominee between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022, and nominations are to be made online at award.dailytrust.com. The eventual winner will be selected by a six-member prize committee chaired by His Excellency, Mr. Festus Mogae, and former President of Botswana. Other members of the Committee who represent Africa’s regional blocs are: Ambassador Mona Omar (North Africa), Mr. Amadou Mahtar Ba (West Africa), Ms. Gwen Lister (Southern Africa), and Pastor Rigobert MINANI BIHUZO (Central Africa). The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Media Trust Group, Mr. Kabiru Yusuf, represents the award promoters."
This year's edition becomes the group's 15th edition of the African of the year Award which was inaugurated in 2008 as the Daily Trust "hopes to entrench the culture of selflessness among Africans with the aim of creating a pool of role-models for others to emulate."
The maiden award was presented to a Congolese gynaecologist, Dr Denis Mukwege, in recognition of his exemplary humanitarian offer of free reconstructive surgery to victims of rape in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018, which was 10 years after Daily Trust had recognised his remarkable humanitarian gesture.