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By Ogbonna George Nwogu
Any society depends for it's survival on a marked measure of objectivity, and the critical and unemotional apparatus which the intellectual is able to bring to the examination of questions and problems is always valuable. Constructive dicussion which is geared toward objectivity has been lacking on this Abubakar Lecture issue. Instead, most of the groups that are planning protests are responsible for the suffusion of irascibility and inebriate impudence that have been directed at officials at Chicago State University(CSU), Dr Ali Mazrui, Jesse Jackson and others while exercising their freedoms to protest the attendance of IBB, Gowon, Buhari, and Abubakar. While I support the right to protest, I do not support these strategies. Like Dr Elnora Daniel(CSU President) stated in a letter to one group, the knowledge development process requires an exchange of both convergent and divergent ideas in order to represent a true discourse. In this regard, if IBB and Buhari were to participate, their divergent contribution on dictatorships should be a worthwhile part of the discourse on the lecture topic of "Pan Africanism, Democracy and Leadership in Africa:The Continuing Legacy for the new millenium". As for Abubakar whom Sowore Omoyele dscribes as "evil", his contributions to democracy in Nigeria, and other parts of Africa as Head of the Commonwealth Election Monitoring team in Zimbabwe and a UN Special envoy, belie that assessment. His contributions to the promotion of democracy have earned him numerous awards on the world scene, including the Star award in Ghana and the Rainbow Coalition Peace prize. It should therefore not come as a surprise that he started a foundation to provide support for democracy in Africa, and a lecture series designed to promote the ideals of international friendship and democracy was named after him. It is unfortunate that this display of unity of purpose in the condemnation of corrupt retired generals does not occur in Nigeria where these people reside, and where a trial for human rights violations and corruption should be derigueur. Instead, money, tribalism, and religion have the upper hand on critical national issues. As for the lecture series, we should not lose focus on the enhancement of international exposure on issues affecting the African continent.
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he upcoming inaugural lecture of the Abubakar Distinguished Lecture Series at Chicago State University this friday, has created quite a scintillating stir among Nigeria's intellectual community in the United States. The epicenter of this controversy is centered on the planned attendance of at least 3 past Nigerian Heads of State, with IBB's causing the most ruffling of feathers. As a result, protests are planned at the event, and efforts have been made by groups of Nigerians to prevent this group of retired generals from attending the event. Is all this controversy justified for an event that is not a purely Nigerian affair, but an international forum that seeks constructive discussions on issues relating to developing democratic institutions and responsive civil society? Dignitaries from South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Togo, Sierra Leone, America, and Nigeria are expected at the event which is open to the general public incluing the likes of IBB. Expected participants include the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Dr Ali Mazrui, Jesse Jackson, Jerry Rawlings e.t.c.