Hollywood magazine award nominates Reno Omokri over Leah Sharibu campaign

Reno Omokri, an ex-aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has been nominated for the “Most Outstanding Humanitarian Cause” award at the 2019 Hollywood Magazine Film Festival.

The organisers of the award billed to hold on November 2 said the lawyer and author was nominated for his role in the campaign for the release of Leah Sharibu, a schoolgirl abducted during a Boko Haram raid on Dapchi Yobe state.

In a letter, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar lauded Omokri, saying that the development should be seen as a reason for Omokri to intensify efforts targeted at advancing the cause for the release of Sharibu and ending other forms of injustice in the country.

“Thank you very much for the email and further correspondence informing me on your selection for the ‘Most Outstanding Humanitarian Cause 2019’ award by the Hollywood weekly magazine, scheduled to take place at the Hollywood Film Festival in Los Angeles on November 2, 2019,” the letter read.

“I write to heartily congratulate you on your well-deserved selection for this award. It is very fitting that your campaigning for the release of young Leah Sharibu, the only one of the Dapchi schoolgirls who was inexplicably left out in the negotiated release of her mates, is being recognized by this award.

“I hope that you will see this award as a reason to intensify your campaign for Leah’s release and for ending other forms of injustice in our society. My family and I rejoice with you on this auspicious occasion and pray to God to grant you the strength and wisdom to continue doing good.”

Sharibu was among the 112 persons kidnapped from the Girls Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state by the Boko Haram sect in February 2018.

While her colleagues have long regained freedom, the 16-year-old was held back for reportedly refusing to denounce Christianity.

Omokri has been on the forefront of the campaign for her release.