Igbo gather to discuss leadership challenges

Activities lined up for the 34th Ahiajoku Lecture began yesterday with a colloquium held at Owerri, the Imo State capital, where four erudite scholars looked at leadership challenges from the Igbo perspective.

The annual Ahiajoku Lecture series since the inception of the Governor Ikedi Ohakim administration in 2007 had been re-branded with the lectures shifting away from traditional discourse centred on Igbo history and culture to a more robust intellectual discourse that dwell on new values.

The colloquium yesterday aimed at heralding the lecture proper had various sub-themes that have links to the 34th Ahiajoku Lecture: “Nigerian Sectoral Underdevelopment and Leadership Challenges – The Igbo Perspective (Ka Obodo Were Ga N’iru),” being delivered today by former University of Nigeria, Nsukka Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chinedu Nebo.

At the colloquium, the Imo Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Ada Okwuonu who represented Governor Ohakim said the Ahiajoku Lecture which started in 1979 had been re-branded, pointing out that the event was no longer one that people were invited to come and see and after which they would disperse. According to the governor, the lecture “has been re-branded and given participants real and good exercise for brainstorming.”

Ohakim noted that the re-branded Ahiajoku Lecture had seen erudite literary scholar, Prof. Chinua Achiebe setting the ball rolling in early 2009 for the 2008 Ahiajoku carry-over and closely followed by energy expert, Prof. Barth Nnaji, who looked at the energy sector in November 2009. In his contribution, the Chairman of the colloquium, Prof. Moses Iwuala of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, said the colloquium prepares the ground for the annual lecture, saying that in the past the lectures had focused on the Igbo history and culture.

The professor pointed out that the lecture series had been moved a notch higher in line with the New Face Agenda of the Ohakim administration. Iwuala noted that the Igbo values that were the centre of discussions in the past under the re-branded Ahiajoku would be harmonized to meet changing trends of today. He pointed out that leadership challenges were inherent at all levels of governance, be it town union, council, state or national level. The don applauded the Prof. Nnaji attempt in 2009, which he said was a very rich intellectual discourse that thrilled and educated participants at the lecture.

“It is hoped that the lecture today by Prof. Nebo will thrash the many leadership challenges facing the Igbo nation and the country at large.”

Posted: at 26-11-2010 12:45 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

A complex social problem need a complex structural solution.

Posted: at 26-11-2010 04:45 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac