National Citizens Conversation: That Nigeria may not fail.
….The programme brings together political actors, public intellectuals, civic leaders, and professionals whose experiences cut across Nigeria’s modern history.
Oru Leonard
Engr. Buba Galadima is one of Nigeria’s most seasoned political thinkers and actors, with decades of engagement across party lines and political eras. Known for his candour and institutional memory, he brings a rare ability to connect historical events to present political realities.
Akin Fapohunda is a respected public affairs analyst and civic voice whose interventions consistently bridge history, governance, and citizen responsibility. His contributions are valued for their clarity and insistence on intellectual honesty.
Jonathan Sunday Akuns is a civil society leader and thinker with deep engagement in national dialogue and community level reconciliation. His perspective grounds the conversation in lived civic experience rather than abstract theory.
Senator Shehu Sani is a prominent human rights advocate, former senator, and public intellectual. His long record of speaking against injustice and abuse of power gives him a distinctive moral authority on questions of state legitimacy and accountability.
Participation is also awaited from three additional voices whose inclusion would further enrich the dialogue.
Anniko Briggs brings an international legal and comparative perspective on self determination, state legitimacy, and political consent, linking Nigeria’s experience to broader global patterns.
Dr D. N. Okechukwu, a medical doctor with a thriving private practice in Abuja, is widely regarded by informed readers as the author of one of the most thoughtful and balanced accounts of the Nigerian Civil War. His contribution promises a rare blend of professional detachment and moral insight.
His Excellency Dr Alex Chioma Otti, economist, public policy leader, and serving governor in Abia State, is expected to deliver the keynote. A leader who has proven worthy of his people’s trust and hasn’t shy away from the burden of responsibility even in controversial circumstances that many leaders will avoid. His perspective connects historical reckoning to the practical demands of governance, reform, and public trust.
A Civic Endeavour, Not a Partisan Contest
The National Citizens Conversation is intentionally framed as a civic service rather than a political debate. It seeks clarity, not consensus. Healing, not accusation. Understanding, not victory.
By anchoring the dialogue in history, lived experience, and national conscience, the programme demonstrates that honest engagement is an act of patriotism rather than disloyalty.
We
That Nigeria May Not Fail
Nigeria’s continued existence cannot rest on habit, fear, or exhaustion. It must rest on renewed consent, rebuilt trust, and the courage to confront foundational questions openly.
If states fail when inevitable issues are avoided, then nations endure when those issues are faced responsibly. 15th January 1966 is such an issue. Sixty years later, silence is no longer prudence. It is peril.
We owe it to those who came before us, and to those who will come after, to finally hold the conversation we postponed. Not to trade accusations, but to take responsibility. Not to relive the past, but to prevent its repetition.
This is the purpose of the National Citizens Conversation. That Nigeria may not fail.
