From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
The Samuel Ladoke Akintola Memorial Foundation has announced that the annual Samuel Ladoke Akintola Memorial Lecture & Colloquium will take place on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at the Great Hall of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso. The event is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM.
In a statement signed by the Foundation’s Coordinator, Mr. Yemi Adedokun, it was revealed that this year’s keynote address will be delivered by Sen. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun State. Distinguished guests, including the President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and all South West Governors, are expected to attend, highlighting the significance of this annual intellectual gathering.
The Chief Hosts of the event include Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State; Chief (Amb.) Abayomi Akintola; Dr. Abimbola Akintola; and Justice Ladiran Akintola. The lecture will be chaired by Oba Sen. Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, former Governor of Oyo State.
A colloquium following the lecture will feature a panel of experts, including Prof. Rotimi Animasahun, Oloye Lekan Alabi, and Remi Olalere, who will discuss pressing socio-political issues aligned with Akintola’s vision. The session will be moderated by Chief Ademola Babalola, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State, ensuring a dynamic and insightful discussion.
The memorial event serves as a platform for intellectual discourse, celebrating the legacy of Samuel Ladoke Akintola, the late Premier of the Western Region, an Ogbomoso-born statesman, and the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. It honors his contributions to Nigeria’s political and cultural development.
The Foundation invites scholars, government officials, and the public to participate in this important celebration of leadership, history, and knowledge.