Although the incident occurred during the Democracy Day celebrations on June 12, it has continued to stir reactions well into late June, especially after the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy exposed the oversight.
This report, published on June 21, revisits the event based on growing public concerns.
On June 12, 2025, during the Democracy Day address at the National Assembly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led the national ceremony where a list of honourees was presented. However, the Presidency has issued a formal apology after mistakenly including two living Nigerians — Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Dr. Edwin Madunagu — in the Posthumous Honours category.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, described the error as “regrettable” and confirmed that immediate corrections were made across all official State House platforms. He explained that the names were mistakenly classified due to a clerical oversight during document compilation.
This correction has helped restore public trust in the national honours process and reflects the government’s responsiveness to feedback and constructive criticism.
- Reference to this:: Critically Looking at The National Honours -Is South-East Marginalised?
Meanwhile, public observers and civil society groups have urged government institutions to apply greater diligence in the preparation and vetting of official national records to prevent such avoidable mistakes from occurring in future state events.
