The President/founder, The Albinism Foundation, Jake Epelle, has been awarded the Franco–German the prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law 2021.
The award is presented annually to individuals who have distinguished themselves in promoting human rights around the globe.
Epelle is the third Nigerian to win the award given annually on the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The award was presented to Epelle in Abuja at a ceremony held at the French embassy.
Amb. Emmanuelle Blatmann, French Ambassador to Nigeria, said Epelle was chosen for his unwavering commitment to promoting human rights, risking his his freedom and life to ensure the rights and freedom of others are respected.
In response, Jake Epelle thanked the two embassies for honoring him and dedicated the award to the disability community, his wife and son, as well as Nigeria.
Epelle said the awards meant a lot in terms of recognizing the people whose rights must be protected and the need for more work for the marginalized, the oppressed and the voiceless.
“I congratulate the media that have brought me to where I am today; And it means everything, it means a lot to my country and I promise that now there will be much more force on human rights.
“This is because it is very important to us. In our organization, we do have a project called the right to albinism, specifically for people with albinism where we teach them their rights, promote their rights and prosecute those who violate their rights.”