Former President Jonathan Makes History, Wins International Award

• Former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has made history on the international stage with a global award
• Jonathan was nominated as the winner of the 2025 Founders Sunhak Peace Award, making him the first African leader to win this category of the Sunhak Award
• The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee explained the reason Jonathan was nominated as the winner of the prestigious award

TheTalk.NG journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events

Seoul, South Korea – Former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has emerged winner of the 2025 Founders Sunhak Peace Award.

Goodluck Jonathan becomes the first African leader to win the Sunhak Peace Prize.
Photo credit: Goodluck JonathanSource: Facebook

Jonathan will be presented the award by the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation in Seoul, South Korea.

He becomes the third person and the first African leader to win this category of the Sunhak Award.

As reported by Vanguard, Ikechukwu Eze, Special Adviser to Goodluck Jonathan, made this known in a statement on Monday, March 24, 2025.

The two previous winners are former United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon and Prime Minister of Cambodia, Mr. Hun Sen.

The former Nigerian leader and other laureates will be decorated at the 2025 Award Ceremony.

The award which is the 6th in the series will take place in Seoul on Friday, April 11, 2025.

Why Jonathan was nominated as the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize winner?

According to the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee, Jonathan is being honoured with the Founder’s Prize because of his consistent mediation and pro-democracy activities to bring peace throughout Africa.

This is done especially through the instrumentality of the associations he chairs including the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), and the International Summit Council for Peace (ISCP).

Dr. Jonathan will be receiving his award alongside three individuals – Patrick Awuah Jr., Founder and President of Ashesi University in Ghana, Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen, and Wanjira Mathai, Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute.

Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation

The Founders Sunhak Peace Award and the Sunhak Peace Prize are two categories of awards presented biennially by the Committee to individuals and organisations acknowledged as worthy contributors to world peace and human development.

Goodluck Jonathan and other laureates will be decorated in Seoul, South Korea on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Photo credit: Andrew BurtonSource: Getty Images

TheTalk.NG also reported that Jonathan criticised President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency and suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state.

The former president said he was not expected to comment so that he would not fuel the polity, at the same time, he has been inundated with calls to speak on the situation as the prominent son of the Ijaw.

According to Jonathan, the president’s move on the Rivers State crisis painted Nigeria in a negative light.

Northern leaders woo Jonathan to run against Tinubu

Meanwhile, TheTalk.NG reported that Northern political leaders, dissatisfied with President Tinubu’s administration, are discreetly working to announce their candidate for 2027.

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed indicated that he would not seek the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) nomination if Jonathan decides to run.

However, one of the insiders close to Jonathan believes that discussions regarding the 2027 election are still premature.

Source: TheTalk.NG

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