JUBA – South Sudan’s prominent civil society activist Edmund Yakani has been named one of several other African activists who have won this year’s “Africa’s Outstanding Professionals Awards,” according to a letter addressed to him and extended to Sudans Post.
Yakani who is the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has previously won Civil Rights Defender of the year award for his activism for a better life for the South Sudanese citizens and good governance.
“It is an honor to write to you on behalf of the Board of Directors of THE BUSINESS EXECUTIVE LTD. We wish to extend our sincerest compliments to you for being selected as an outstanding professional for this year’s Africa’s Outstanding Professionals Awards,” the letter addressed to Yakani reads in part.
“This prestigious international award which indelibly confirms your status as a member of an elite group of Africa’s professionals gives you the opportunity to be publicly recognized for being accomplished in your field of profession and to network with other top business executives,” then letter added.
The letter further said that the prominent activist will be needed for a ceremony which will place in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
“There will be pre-awards conferment conference which would focus on how best to use the outstanding professionals – technical or managerial – that Africa regularly produces, but who are being underutilized or who have left the continent in frustration only to shine elsewhere in countries where professionalism is better appreciated,” it added.
“The award will be in the form of a plaque, certificate, bronze and metal at a ‘cream de la cream’ red carpet Gala award night, scheduled to take place in Ethiopia at the Hyatt Regency hotel on the 3rd of November, 2022,” it added.
YAKANI WELCOMES NEWS
When contacted by Sudans Post, Yakani welcomed the award and praised other staff of CEPO as well as South Sudanese communities who have worked with him which he said has made his work easier to advocate on behalf of the people.
“I would like to take South Sudanese that I didn’t get that award of myself as Edmund [Yakani], I got this because of collective efforts all staff of CEPO and other partners that we have been working with and various communities of South Sudan in the ten states where we have our field offices where we are working with them,” Yakani said.