Bazeye is Daily Trust African of the Year


A distinguished jurist from Niger Republic, Mrs. Salifou Fatimata Bazeye, has been chosen as the Daily Trust African of the Year 2011

The selection was announced on Saturday in Nairobi, Kenya, by the chairman of the selection panel, Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, a former prime minister of Tanzania and former secretary-general of the Organization of African Unity. Salim, who spoke at a news conference, cited Bazeye’s “track record as an incorruptible judicial officer” as among the reasons for her selection.

Bazeye, 57, was dismissed as president of Niger’s Constitutional Court in 2009 after the court rejected efforts by the then President Mamadou Tandja to change the constitution and remain in office after completion of his second term. Named by the military rulers who ousted Tandja in 2010 to lead the Constitutional Council, an 11-member consultative body, she performed “a key role in steering Niger to a successful election and democratic transition,” Salim said.
He added that “in selecting this woman, the committee examined her track record as an incorruptible judicial officer who resisted government decision to transfer some striking magistrates; who gave a judicial ruling against a sitting President’s proposal to amend the constitution for tenure elongation; who was sacked from office because of her uncompromising position on rule of law; and who played a key role in steering Niger to a successful election and democratic transition.”

Mrs. Bazeye served as a Magistrate, head of Supreme Court, President of Niger’s Constitutional Court, and head of the Transitional Constitutional Council which oversaw the elections that brought the current government of Niger into power in April.
She was selected from a list of five finalists: Wael Ghonim (Egypt), Father Godfrey Nzamujo (Nigeria), Mohammed Bouazizi (Tunisia), Thuli Madonsela (South Africa) and Salifou Fatimata Bazeye (Niger).
The award attracts a prize sum of US$50,000 donated by the United Bank of Africa, as well as a commemorative plaque and certificate of honour to be presented to the awardee in January.
Dr. Salim also revealed that the committee had discussed extensively on the Tunisian nominee.
“The committee wishes to place on record its extensive deliberation on one of the finalists, late Mohammed Bouazizi. The young man, who was a roving trader on the streets of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, was brutalised by a municipal officer who also impounded his wheelbarrow and wares.
“The criminal assault on Bouazizi’s dignity and the confiscation of his source of livelihood by state agents who were insensitive to his plea only typified the cruelty being meted to innocent citizens in many parts of Africa,” he said.
The Daily Trust African of the Year Award has been issued annually since 2008 by Media Trust, publishers of the Trust newspapers, to recognise and reward ordinary Africans who are doing extra-ordinary things for the good of the continent and humanity.
Nominees must, among other criteria, have undertaken a work, created an idea or engaged in activity that is remarkable and with positive impact in any part of the continent within the year under review.
Previous winners of the award are Dr. Denis Mukwege (Congolese surgeon, 2008), Late Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem (Nigerian activist, 2009) and Dr. Danny Jordaan (South African football administrator, 2010).
The task of screening and selecting the awardees is entrusted to a committee made up of Salim; Professor Abdoulaye Bathily, a former Senegalese Parliamentarian; Professor Tandeka Nkiwane, a South African political scientist; Malam Kabiru Yusuf, Chairman/CEO of Daily Trust; Professor Kwame Karikari, Accra-based mass communication scholar and activist; Professor Okello Oculi, a Ugandan political scientist and social activist; and Ms. Muthoni Wanyeki, former Executive Secretary of Kenya Human Rights Commission, who is also committee’s secretary.