By MUHYIDEEN JIMOH

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Col. Abubakar Dangiwa (retired).

This is confirmed in a statement on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.

Dangiwa is a former military Governor of Kaduna State and a respected advocate for democracy in Nigeria’s political development, particularly during the transition from military to civilian rule.

Tinubu announced the honour during the inauguration of a 300-bed hospital and vocational training institute in Kaduna, as part of his one-day working visit to the state.

Speaking at the event, Tinubu acknowledged an oversight made during his June 12 Democracy Day address to the National Assembly and the nation.

He used the occasion to publicly correct the omission, stating his intention to recognise Dangiwa’s significant role in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

“Some individuals were left out in my June 12 address. Colonel Dangiwa was one of them. Let me now honour him with the CFR award,” Tinubu said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dangiwa earned national recognition as a ‘soldier of democracy’ during a critical period in Nigeria’s history.

However, his name was notably missing from the list of national honourees read out during the Democracy Day celebration at the National Assembly complex.

The President extended a public apology for the omission, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to acknowledging patriotic service, especially by unsung democratic champions.

Dangiwa governed Kaduna State from August 1985 to June 1988, during the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

During his tenure, he was known for his courage, discipline and progressive stance, which earned him admiration both within and outside military circles.

After retiring from the Nigerian Army in 1993, he transitioned into public commentary and social advocacy, emerging as a prominent critic of authoritarian governance.

Dangiwa later founded the Movement for Unity and Progress (MUP), a political platform that campaigned for national unity, justice and inclusive democratic governance.

His contributions to Nigeria’s political evolution have been widely documented and appreciated by civil society and pro-democracy advocates across the country.

The conferment of the CFR award is seen as a long-overdue recognition of his efforts and a reaffirmation of his place in Nigeria’s democratic history. (NAN)