23rd Daily Trust Dialogue Scheduled for Today

In line with its dedication to promoting nation building and sustainable development throughout Africa, the Media Trust Group has finalized arrangements for the 23rd Daily Trust Dialogue, scheduled to take place today at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites in Abuja.

The organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed I. Shekarau, announced that this year’s theme, “Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: What Is Working and What Is Not,” will critically analyze the nation’s progress since it returned to democratic governance in 1999.

Esteemed public figures, both in and out of government, will delve into the theme of the event, addressing critical issues that impact the current Republic while offering valuable perspectives aimed at fostering good governance and development.

According to the release, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the former Senate President, will preside over the 23rd Dialogue, while His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadan, will be honored as the Special Guest of Honour.

Among the guest speakers are Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State; Hon. Nnenna Elendu Ukeje, a previous member of the House of Representatives; and Mr. Sunday Dare, who serves as Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communication.

Initiated in 2004, the DAILY TRUST Dialogue has been instrumental in providing a platform for Nigerians and fellow Africans to discuss vital sociopolitical and economic matters, aiming to instigate change, bolster national and continental integration, and encourage sustainable development.

The high-profile forum brings together political leaders, policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and other significant stakeholders from across Nigeria and Africa annually to deliberate on various issues of continental interest.

Since its inception, the dialogue has tackled numerous topics relevant to national and regional dynamics, including political transformations, economic revivals in various African regions, unity among African nations, the state of democracy, emerging authoritarianism, debilitating debt, inter-African relations, the strength and weaknesses of regional collaborations, ongoing struggles for liberation, conflicts, xenophobia, pressures for secession, youth migration to Europe, and Africa’s global relationships, among others.

Recent editions have addressed crucial themes such as “Restructuring: Why, When, How?,” “2023: The Politics, Economy and Insecurity,” “Examining the 2023 Presidential Agenda,” “Tinubu’s Economic Reforms: Gainers and Losers,” and “Food Security: Availability Versus Affordability.”

Some previous speakers included Prof. Attahiru Jega, the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission; the late Pa Ayo Adebanjo, former Afenifere leader; Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the past President-General of Ọhanaeze Ndigbo; the former Federal Inland Revenue Service Chairperson, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru; Dr. Murtala Rufa’i, a senior lecturer at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who previously advised President Bola Tinubu on political matters.

Others who have graced the event include Dr. Eugene Enahoro, the son of the late Chief Anthony Enahoro; Ibukun Awosika, the former Chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria; and Dr. Yetunde Anibaba, a senior lecturer and public policy expert at the Lagos Business School; as well as Dr. Victoria Akai, the former Director General of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Comrade Joe Ajaero, the National President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

The dialogue has attracted notable figures, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, in addition to various political, academic, and business elites.

Guests from across Africa have included former Botswana President Festus Mogae; late former Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings; Tanzania’s ex-Prime Minister Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim; Winnie Mandela, who played a significant role in South Africa's anti-apartheid movement; Dr. Mo Ibrahim from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation; and Mrs. Samia Nkrumah, the daughter of the late Ghanaian leader Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, a prominent pan-African nationalist.