President Bola Tinubu has extended his congratulations to former President Goodluck Jonathan on being awarded the prestigious 2025 Sunhak Peace Founders’ Award. This commendation recognizes Jonathan's steadfast dedication to advocating for peace, harmony, and unity, a commitment that has garnered him international acclaim.

President Tinubu, through his spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, lauded Jonathan's achievement, emphasizing that the Sunhak Peace Award acknowledges his significant contributions to peacebuilding and the promotion of democracy across Africa and the wider world. The President specifically highlighted Jonathan's historic acceptance of the 2015 presidential election results and his subsequent peaceful transfer of power to the opposition, an act that significantly enhanced Nigeria's democratic standing.

The Sunhak Peace Prize committee, in their announcement on Monday, stated that Jonathan's selection for the Founders’ Prize is a testament to his consistent mediation efforts and pro-democracy activities throughout the African continent. The committee also recognized the various organizations Jonathan leads, including the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), and the International Summit Council for Peace (ISCP), as key platforms through which he has made substantial contributions.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday in Seoul, South Korea, where Jonathan will be formally presented with the award by the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation. This distinction marks Jonathan as the third individual and the first African leader to receive the Founders Sunhak Peace Award, following in the footsteps of Ban Ki-Moon, former United Nations Secretary-General, and Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia.

Established to honor the legacy of Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, the Sunhak Peace Prize is awarded biennially to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional contributions to peace and human development. Hak Ja Han, Moon’s widow, initiated the award as an alternative to the Nobel Peace Prize. The Sunhak Peace Prize is divided into two categories: the Founders Sunhak Peace Award and the Sunhak Peace Prize. Previous recipients of the latter category include former Senegalese President Macky Sall, African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina, Sarah Catherine Gilbert, co-developer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.

President Tinubu joined in celebrating this significant milestone with former President Jonathan and expressed gratitude to the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee for acknowledging the tireless efforts of those dedicated to making the world a better place.