P 21 Weds 14/02/24
From ANENE AIKE, Sokoto
The Sokoto State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists is set to organise a public lecture meant to immortalise Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Laraba Shagari, the ex-president of the Second Republic, Nigeria.
The State Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Dalhatu Abdullahi Safiyal Magori, tabled this during the union’s Extraordinary Special Congress meeting.at the Press Center, Zuru Road, Sokoto.
He said the union, after consultation with various stakeholders, decided to organize a memorial in honour of the first Executive President of the Second Republic, late Shagari scheduled to take place on the 25th of February 2024.
He stated that the 25th of February is the birthday of the late Shehu Usman Aliyu Laraba Shagari (Turakin Sokoto) and the union wants to use this rare opportunity to Immortalize his name by organizing a maiden edition of” Shehu Shagari Memorial Lecture.
The congress agreed that the event would run concurrently with two other side events that would include fundraising for the promotion of the former president’s legacies, documentation of his political works for the benefit of the new generations as well as a posthumous award to the former Military Governor of northwestern state, Late Usman Faruk who donated his building in 1992 to the NUJ.
According to the chairman, “Our task now is to agree and come to terms with the conduct of the event and if the congress adopts the planned memorial lecture, we will go ahead to inaugurate the various committees that would assist in achieving the union’s collective goals”
Late former President Shehu Shagari is one of the very few leaders of Nigeria who was never found wanting during his tenure. The union had since inaugurated a committee and sub-committees for the successful conduct of the first Shehu Shagari memorial lecture in the state.
Invitations to prominent persons across the country to serve as either Special Guest of honour, Guest Speakers, Guest Lecturers or Chief Launchers at the event, have already been forwarded. People in these categories include Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, The former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, the former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu and immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Faruk Yahaya.
