Presidency apologises for listing 2 prominent Nigerians as deceased in National Honours list

The Presidency has publicly apologised following an error in the Democracy Day address in which two notable Nigerians were erroneously listed among recipients of posthumous national honours—despite being alive.

The mix-up, which sparked confusion and drew widespread attention, took place during President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech at the National Assembly, where several individuals were recognised for their contributions to the country’s democratic journey.

In a statement released later by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency acknowledged the error and assured the public that immediate steps were being taken to correct it across all official channels.

“Under the Posthumous Award category, the names of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the Afenifere leader, and Dr. Edwin Madunagu were incorrectly included. Both distinguished individuals are very much alive and, therefore, should not have appeared in the posthumous category,” Onanuga said.

He described the incident as “an oversight” and added that appropriate corrections would be made.

“We sincerely regret this oversight. We shall make the necessary corrections across all State House digital platforms,” the statement read.