Renowned citadel of learning, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, is set to host the 12th F. C. Ogbalu Memorial Lecture, a prominent annual academic and cultural event celebrating the legacy of the legendary Igbo linguist and culture advocate and development enthusiast Mazi (Dr.) F. C. Ogbalu.
This year’s lecture slated for Tuesday, June 9,2026, at the ASUU–NAU Secretariat in UNIZIK Awka, will feature a high-powered lineup of Nigeria’s political leaders, academics, and traditional rulers. They will gather to discuss the socio-political trajectory of the Igbo people. The central theme for this year is The Position and Prospects of the Igbo People in the Governance of Nigeria.””
The event will be chaired by Okm. Ugochukwu Bond Anyaehie, alongside a distinguished assembly of special guests, traditional rulers, and key speakers, including:
• Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State and Mr Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State and NDC’presidential candidate, as well as Prof Uchefula U. Chukwumaeze (SAN): Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University, Owerri.
The list includes Chief Ikenna Okafor (Onye Nkwado) and George Onwudiwe. The royal fathers of the day include Obi Gibson Nwosu (Ezezu II of Awka) and Igwe (Dr.) Oramu Chris Chidume (Eze Igulube of Omor) Organized under the leadership of Dkt. Ann Onyekelu (Secretary) and Okm. Nkoli Nnyigide (Chairperson), the F. C. Ogbalu Memorial Lecture serves as an annual intellectual intellectual hub.
It honours Chief F.C. Ogbalu’s lifelong dedication to the preservation, promotion, and institutionalization of the Igbo language and culture across West Africa. This 12th edition is expected to draw major stakeholders, students, and cultural enthusiasts from across the nation to deliberate on the critical role of the Igbo intellect in shaping contemporary Nigerian politics.
