Zik’s blueprint still Nigeria’s escape route from crisis—Akagburuonye warns at inaugural memorial lecture
Maureen Aguta
Legal luminary and business mogul, Chief Barrister Obioma Akagburuonye, has urged governments at all levels to prioritise economic freedom and educational empowerment as the surest pathways to securing Nigeria’s true sovereignty.
Delivering the inaugural Nnamdi Azikiwe Memorial Lecture (NAML) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Akagburuonye said the political philosophy of Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, remains a timeless blueprint for good governance, national unity and sustainable development.
Speaking on the theme “The Nnamdi Azikiwe Political Philosophy: Lessons for Good Governance and Development,” he traced Azikiwe’s journey from his birthplace in Zungeru and described his life as “a living blueprint for governance and development rooted in moral uprightness, national unity, and social justice.”
Akagburuonye stressed that Zik’s nation-building model was anchored on integrity, inclusiveness and unwavering commitment to the collective good. “Sustainability and justice have an intimate relationship such that a change in one accentuates or reinforces the other,” he said.
Highlighting Azikiwe’s developmental vision, he noted Zik’s emphasis on local entrepreneurship, protection of emerging industries and the pursuit of economic self-reliance. According to him, these remain essential tools for reshaping Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape.
“Azikiwe’s philosophy is that leadership rooted in integrity, patriotism, and service can transform nations,” he stated. “As citizens, we are responsible for demanding accountability. As leaders, we must emulate the virtues he exemplified—serving with humility, fairness, and a vision for a united Nigeria.”
Akagburuonye argued that Nigeria’s present-day challenges—corruption, ethnic tensions, economic strain and identity crises—could have been averted had the country fully embraced Zik’s political ideals. He said several core principles from Azikiwe’s life of service remain urgently needed to guide national progress today.
The Vice-Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, represented by Prof. Anthony Attamah, commended the Faculty of Social Sciences for instituting the lecture and expressed hope that it would be sustained.
Chairman of the event and former President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo, recalled historic ties between his family and Azikiwe, noting that his father, Chief John Nwodo, played a key role in helping Zik establish the University of Nigeria.
Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Chidi Nzeadibe, announced that the NAML would be held biennially to preserve and promote Azikiwe’s legacy. A new book chronicling the Faculty’s history from 1960 to 2025, edited by Nzeadibe, Jeff Unaegbu and Obiora Anichebe, was reviewed by Prof. Chukwuedozie Ajaero, who praised it as an “intensively detailed work.”
The event drew prominent scholars, dignitaries, and the wife of the late statesman, Professor Emeritus Uche Azikiwe, with many describing the lecture series as a long-overdue platform for re-examining the legacy of one of Africa’s greatest political thinkers.