Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; former Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari; and former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, are among eminent personalities expected to attend the 70th Anniversary and Congress of the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN), which will also host the 6th Congress of the Association of African Historians.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the Acting President of the Historical Society of Nigeria, Professor (Mrs.) Zara Kwaghe, said the congress, scheduled to begin on Monday, October 13, has the theme “70 Years of Resilience: Honouring Nigeria’s Past, Envisioning Its Future.”
She said the event would reflect on the society’s achievements, contributions to scholarship, and role in national development over the past seven decades.
Kwaghe noted that the 6th Congress of the Association of African Historians, to be hosted in Nigeria for the first time, would bring together distinguished historians and scholars from across the continent to exchange ideas and share research findings on the theme.
“The conference is not just a gathering of historians,” she said. “It is a reflection on the work we have done for the past 70 years — our impact on scholarship in Nigeria, our role in advancing historical studies, and our contribution to nation-building.”
She recalled that the Historical Society of Nigeria played a major role in the reinstatement of history in the national school curriculum after it was previously removed.
“Our theme, ‘70 Years of Resilience: Honouring Nigeria’s Past, Envisioning Its Future,’ challenges us to ask: What have we been through? How did we get here? And where are we headed? This conference will provide answers and direction for the future,” she said.
Kwaghe disclosed that the grand opening ceremony would feature the prestigious D.K. Memorial Lecture, to be delivered by Professor Emeritus Baru Zwidi Wodehana from Ethiopia, and chaired by Professor Gambari.
She added that the event would include a series of plenary sessions on key historical and developmental topics and would culminate in a gala and award night on Thursday, October 16, to celebrate excellence and achievement in historical scholarship.
