Sanwo-Olu to Deliver Keynote Lecture on Nigeria’s 65-Year Independence Journey at Arewa House Kaduna

In a significant event marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, Lagos State Governor and Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will deliver the keynote lecture at Arewa House, Kaduna, on Tuesday. The lecture, themed “65 Years of Nigeria’s Independence: A Journey So Far with the Renewed Hope Agenda in View,” is hosted by the Arewa Think Tank, a respected Northern Nigerian socio-political and policy advocacy group comprising professionals from 19 northern states.

The day-long public event is set to attract an array of high-profile personalities. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will attend as the Special Guest of Honour. The proceedings will be chaired by Senator Pius Anyim Pius, former President of the Senate and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and co-chaired by Mallam Mohammed Munir Ja’afaru, Madakin Zazzau.

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, will serve as the Chief Host. The Emir of Birnin Gwari, His Royal Highness Malam Zubair Jibril Maigwari II, has been named the Royal Father of the Day, underscoring the event’s cultural significance.

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Other distinguished guests include former Osun State Governor and pioneer All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, ex-Governors Olusegun Osoba (Ogun) and Mukhtar Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), and former Chief of Army Staff and Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai. Several Federal Executive Council members, including Ministers of Defence, Solid Minerals, Interior, Information and National Orientation, and Agriculture and Food Security, are also expected to be in attendance alongside senior public officials, Northern regional leaders, and business leaders.

The Arewa Think Tank lecture promises a robust dialogue reflecting on Nigeria’s progress since independence, with a focus on the Renewed Hope Agenda that seeks to chart a strategic path forward for national development and unity.