President Bola Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on retired Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa, a former military Governor of Kaduna State.
The award was announced by Tinubu during the inauguration of a 300-bed hospital and vocational training institute on Thursday in Kaduna.
The President explained that Dangiwa’s name was inadvertently left out during the June 12 Democracy Day celebrations, and he took the opportunity to publicly correct the omission.
Tinubu acknowledged Dangiwa’s significant contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey, describing him as a deserving recipient of the CFR award.
Dangiwa, who governed Kaduna State from 1985 to 1988, is widely recognised for his courage, discipline, and progressive stance during his tenure.
After retiring from the military, he became a vocal critic of authoritarian governance and founded the Movement for Unity and Progress (MUP), advocating for national unity, justice, and inclusive democratic governance.
The conferment of the CFR award is seen as a long-overdue recognition of Dangiwa’s efforts and a reaffirmation of his place in Nigeria’s democratic history.
