Protesters Disrupt Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah's Award Ceremony In London

An award event in London was on Thursday night disrupted by some

protesting Nigerian women who kicked against the inclusion of the

Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah as one of the recipients of the

awards as "shameful and embarrassing"

Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero was also one of the

honourees ; while the Aviation Minister was given an award for

"Aviation transformation and best performing minister in Nigeria",

The event, which held at the Radison Hotel, Central London, was

organized by the Global Peace Movement to present "Peace, Development

and Security" award to Governor Yero; while the Managing Director of

Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) Nnamdi Udo, was recognized

for "excellence" in airspace management.

The chaos started when the citation of Ms. Oduah, who was represented,

was being read as prelude to the presentation of the award. Suddenly,

a woman who gave her name as Taiwo Akpabio started speaking and

shouting, condemning the conferment of the award on Ms. Oduah.

Speaking at the top of her voice, Ms. Akpabio said it was shameful and

insulting for the organizers to give an award to the minister after

series of air mishaps in the country under her watch, which resulted

in loss of many lives, as well as the alleged scandal in the purchase

of the bullet-proof BMW cars involving the minister.

Chaos and confusion descended on the venue for sometime as all efforts

to calm down the protester failed. Insisting that she had the right to

speak out and criticize the insensitivity of the organizers, Ms.

Akpabio had to be dragged out of the venue by security officials of

the hotel.

As Ms. Akpabio was being bundled out, another protester who gave her

name as Maryam Awolowo took the floor and rained invectives against

the organizers for giving an award to Ms Oduah. She too was dragged

out of the venue of the awards event. Both women asked rhetorical

questions, including how much the organizers were paid to give the

awards to the recipients.

It took a while before normalcy was restored and the event continued

with the presentation of the peace and security award to Governor

Yero.

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