Ex-Botswanan president to deliver Ake’s memorial lecture
Headlines Monday, February 7th, 2011
FORMER President of Botswana, Mr. Festus Gontebanye Mogae, will on February 18, 2011 deliver a lecture at the first Professor Claude Ake Memorial Lecture to be organised by the Rivers State Government.
The Chairman, Planning Committee of the memorial lecture, Mr. Charles Gogo, disclosed on Monday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, that the event was designed to honour Ake, the late political economist, for his contributions to the development of the country.
Gogo, who is also the State Commissioner for Budget, said the choice of the former president of Botswana was based on the speedy growth of the Southern African country.
He disclosed that the Country Director of the World Bank, Mr. Onnoh Ruhl, would chair the occasion, which would also be targeted at encouraging scholarship, distinction and hardwork among citizens of the state.
He said a paper titled “Doom to Boom: Re-engineering the fortunes of the citizens of Rivers” would be delivered by the ex-Botswanan president.
Gogo explained that notable scholars like Professor Adele Jinadu and Rev. Father Hassan Mathew Kuka would be among those to discuss the main lecture.
He said, “This administration has decided to honour Professor Claude Ake with a memorial lecture to mark his immense contribution to not just Nigeria, but to the entire human community.
“As a responsible government, we believe there is no better way to recognise hardwork and outstanding qualities than to honour those who have worked for it.”
Also, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, noted that the February 18 date of the event was picked to coincide with Ake’s birthday.
Observing that Ake’s theories in the field of economics have remained a reference point across the world, the commissioner said the state government was working with other organisations to make the event a success.
-Punch
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