From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, will join other eminent Nigerians to unveil 21 books written by distinguished radical scholar, renowned public intellectual and political strategist, Professor Udenta .O. Udenta, tomorrow.
Also to expected are Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah; Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed; the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi and a former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwisili.
Other dignitaries are President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; former Governor of Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo; Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Elder Statesman, Alaji Tanko Yakassai; former Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih; a former Aviation Minister, Ambassador Kema Chikwe and a former Nigerian Envoy to Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde, Ambassador Justina Eze, amongst others.
The event organised to commemorate Udenta’s 60th birthday, will witness a national dialogue titled, “Location of Intellection and Praxis in Human Subjectivity – The Nigerian Dilemma.”
The ceremony which holds at the NAF Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja, will bring together, guests from the academic, political, professional, civic, business and diplomatic communities.
Chairman, Advisory Council Event Planning Committee, Senator Ben Obi, in a statement, said while Jonathan will chair the event, Abubakar and Obi, presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) respectively in the 2023 elections, will be the distinguished guests of honour.
Obi disclosed that Mohammed, former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will be the chief book presenter, while the Chairman, Chrome Group, Sir Emeka Offor; the senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah; the President and Chief Executive Officer, Northgate Limited, Chief Ben Okoye; the Chairman, Chelsea Group, Chief Pat Chidolue; the Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines, Prof Obiora Okonkwo and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Giorgio Dredging Company Limited, Chief Ben Ozoadibe, will be presenters.
Obi also disclosed that Fayemi and Ezekwisili will be the keynote speakers, while a former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Prof Sam Amadi, will dissect Udenta’s intellectual productions.
“Panelists for ‘the National Dialogue’ are: Chief Osita Chidoka, Senator Shehu Sani, Rev Fr George Ehusani, Elder Kunle Fagbemi, Owei Lakemfa and Rex Odoemenam,” Obi said.
Speaking about the 21 books, Udenta said: “This guide to understanding the 21 book publishing concept and a peep into the forthcoming works that will showcase the second phase of my lifework is undertaken with historical perspective and thematic unity in mind. In essence, I intend to provide brief notes which excavate contexts that, in turn, undergird content both as a diachronic linear formation, as well as synchronous archetypes that rupture the contours, density and flow of history.
“This kind of intellectual production equally has an eye trained on the genecology of knowledge; that is, the stages and patterns of the evolution of the mind and architecture of thought comprised within a sometime challenging narrative order.”