Former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu says Nigeria’s first president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, made critical political compromises that helped keep the young nation together. Speaking at the 2025 Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe Award Lecture in Abuja, Aliyu noted that Zik partnered across party lines in both the First and Second Republics to protect Nigeria’s fragile unity. He urged Nigerians to love and commit to their country despite challenges.
Keynote speaker Prof. Mainasara Umar-Kogo called for moral renewal, warning that corruption, division and weak leadership have betrayed the ideals of African pioneers like Azikiwe and Nkrumah. He argued that Nigeria cannot lead Africa without justice, integrity and cohesion at home.
The event’s organisers announced plans for a Zik Centre for Leadership and African Studies to uphold Azikiwe’s legacy. His widow, Prof. Uche Azikiwe, urged better documentation of Nigeria’s history so younger generations can understand the nation’s foundations.
