Symposium on Nelson Mandela and the unfinished revolutionary agenda in Africa

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By Friends of Mandela  

The death on the 5^th of December, 2013 of Nelson Mandela, the symbol of global resistance to apartheid and the evils it spawned, is bound to inspire activities and scholarly events for a long time to come. The role of Nigerians, particularly the labour and the student movement, in the alliance that ended the repressive era in South Africa cannot be denied.

The inspiration of Mandela to the struggle for equity and social justice across Africa is also writ large. His courage and fidelity to the cause of liberation are legendary. Everyone and all tendencies, including those who represent everything he fought against, now seem to appropriate Mandela.

As can be expected many fora will be put together to dissect his life and times. Here in Nigeria where there is acute social injustice in all spheres of life; where a few persons have hijacked political power, debased it and continued to use it to serve base and selfish ends, we cannot afford not to learn the right lessons from the contributions of Mandela to the world revolutionary movement.

To this end, the Friends of Mandela, have decided to organize a symposium to highlight the contributions and limitations of the Mandela phenomenon to the revolutionary agenda in Africa, as a first in a series of activities to deepen awareness of the unfinished items on the revolutionary agenda in Africa. Other events should follow.

We are planning to do a book to chronicle the contributions of Nigerians to the struggle against apartheid and on the way forward for our beloved country. Details of the other events shall be announced shortly.

In the meantime, it is our pleasure to invite you to a symposium as follows:

Theme: Nelson Mandela and the Unfinished Revolutionary Agenda in Africa

Date: Friday, 20^th of December, 2013

Venue: Falana & Falana, 13, Adekunle Fajuyi Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

Time: 11am prompt

Chair: Mr. Femi Falana, SAN

Speakers:  Dr. Dele Seteolu (Mandela: The Limitations of Liberalism), Prof Alozie (Disconnect between Theory and Practice: Where ANC missed it), (the Role of Lawyers in the struggle for social justice), Comrade S.O.Z. Ejiofor (Africa in need of Revolution: Issues and Problems), and Comrade Ngozi Iwere (ANC and the women Wing: Engendering the struggle for social justice in Africa)

FOR AND ON BEHALF OF FRIENDS OF MANDELA  

Mr. Femi Falana, SAN

Bamidele Aturu