King Center Disowns Award Given Buhari

Ololade Adeyanju/

The King Center has disowned the award presented to President Muhammadu Buhari purportedly by the late Martin Luther King’s family.

The King Center is the only recognized organisation set up by late King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, and his children to propagate the legacy of the civil rights leader.

Buhari received some members of the King’s family, who presented him with an award tagged “1st Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018”, at the Aso Villa, on Monday.

But the King Center in a tweet on Wednesday said it knew nothing about the award given the Nigerian president.

The tweet states: “The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of #MLK and #CorettaScottKing. @MrFixNigeria.”

A tweet by the presidency announcing the award says: “President @MBuhari today at the State House received Martin Luther King Jnr’s family. He was also conferred with the 1st Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018. #AsoVillaToday.”

Also, an online news site, LeadersNG, alleged in report on Wednesday that some political associates of the president paid $3 million for the award.