A former governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola and six other eminent personalities, would today in New York, USA be conferred with awards by the International Crisis Group (ICG).

A statement by ICG, stated that the award will be given to Fashola “for his commitment to resolving social, economic and security challenges in one of the world’s most challenging urban environments.”

ICG’s President, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, who announced the 2015 awards in Brussels, Belgium, also said “each award goes to a pioneer of peace, to a relentless fighter for the improvement of people’s lives, to someone who has built bridges, believed in change and mobilised others in the name of justice.”

Founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson will also bag an award for what ICG noted as “his visionary reshaping of private sector initiatives to promote peace, human rights and sustainable development.”

Another awardee is former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, who was said to merit the award for her “exemplary efforts to prevent conflict and mass atrocities, alleviate suffering during the Balkan crisis, and protect refugees worldwide.”