The Management of Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited, publishers of Realnews Magazine Online, has announced that His Excellency, Ambassador Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, and former Nigeria?s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will deliver the Realnews 12thAnniversary Lecture.

The lecture on?Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics, Matters Arising on Democracy, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Resources?will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.

Ambassador Gambari?s acceptance to deliver the lecture was communicated toRealnewsin an email dated April 27, 2027, that he sent, stating: ?I am delighted to re-confirm my acceptance in principle of the invitation to deliver the lecture.?

Gambari, aNigerianacademicanddiplomat, served aschief of staff to the President of Nigeriafrom 2020 to 2023. Before this, Gambari was the longest-serving permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations from 1990 to 1999, under five Heads of State and Presidents, andminister of external affairsfrom 1984 to 1985.

While at the UN, Gambari was thePresident of UNICEFin 1999; and becameUnder-Secretary-Generaland the first Special Adviser onAfricatoSecretary-GeneralKofi Annanfrom 1999 to 2005. He was theUnder-Secretary-General of the United NationsforPolitical Affairsfrom 2005 to 2007 under Secretary-GeneralsKofi AnnanandBan Ki-moon. His last appointment in the UN was from January 2010 to July 2012, when he was appointed byBan Ki-moonand theChairperson of the African Union Commissionas the Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative forDarfur.

Born on 24 November, 1944, inIlorin,Kwara State, Gambari attendedKing's College, Lagos, and subsequently went to theLondon School of Economicswhere he bagged a B. Sc. (Economics) degree (1968) specialisingin International Relations. Later he got his M.A. (1970) and Ph.D. (1974) degrees fromColumbia University,New York,United Statesin Political Science and International Relations.

He taught at theCity University of New Yorkbefore working attheUniversity of Albanyand subsequently atAhmadu Bello University, inZaria,Kaduna State.From 1986 to 1989, he wasaVisiting Professorat three universities inWashington, D.C.:Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies,Georgetown University, andHoward University. He has also been aresearch fellowat theBrookings Institutionin Washington D.C. and a resident scholar at the Bellagio Study and Conference Center, theRockefeller Foundation-run center inItaly. He has authored many books and published articles in reputable journals in foreign policy and international relations, including the 'Theory and Reality in Foreign Policy: Nigeria after Second Republic'.

The diplomat also served as theMinister for External Affairsbetween 1984 and 1985 under GeneralMuhammadu Buhari's military regime, after he was the director general of TheNigerian Institute of International Affairs(NIIA).

The lecture will be chaired by Ms. Beatrice Eyong, UN Women's Country Representative in Nigeria, who will also moderate the panel session.

Realnews, a general interest magazine, is an online publication that thrives on investigative journalism. We have expertise in reporting the oil and gas sector with its attendant environmental challenges. We aim to unearth exclusive stories about real people and the challenges they face in their day-to-day activities. We do this bearing in mind that government can only act to influence the lives of people positively if they are aware of their true situation. Hence, our objective is to use our investigative skills to ferret out information in the sectors we focus on and produce an unbiased report that will influence the government and decision-makers to take actions that will make society better.

Realnewsis populated by seasoned journalists who believe strongly in the tenets and ethics of the profession. The online publication believes that journalism as the fourth Estate of the Realm can contribute its quota towards building a fair and just society where fundamental human rights are respected and citizens have the freedom to pursue their interests anywhere in the world without hindrance. Its editors have a combined experience of several decades in active journalism practice and are highly dedicated to serving humanity. Hence its motto:?For God and Humanity.?

RealnewsAnniversary Lecture Series was established to commemorate the best minds in our society and to tap from them to enrich the discourse in our national development.

The 11thAnniversary Lecture in 2023 on The Threats of Illicit Funds Flow to the African Economy was delivered by Dr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director-General, ECOWAS Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

The10thAnniversary lecture in 2022 on?Drug Abuse among Youths in Africa: Implication for Nigerian Economy and 2023 Elections?was delivered by Brig General Buba Marwa, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA;9thAnniversary Lecture ofRealnewsin 2021 was delivered by Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board on?Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective?; 2020 Eighth Anniversary Lecture ofRealnewswas delivered by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 onManaging COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: The Nigeria Experience; Former President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana gave the 2019 Lecture onBeyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africawhile Prof. Mahmood Yakubu spoke onPolitical Transitions and Africa?s Economic Development: Preparations for Nigeria?s 2019 General Electionsat the 2018 Lecture.

The 2017 Fifth Anniversary Lecture onAfrican Leadership in a Turbulent Erawas delivered by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of Education and former World Bank Vice President. The 2016 Fourth Anniversary Lecture onSecurity and National Development in Plural Democratic Societywas delivered by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former United Nations Secretary General's Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel; the 2015 Realnews Third Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on November 19, 2015, under the theme:It?s The Nigerian Economy, Stupid?The Second Realnews Anniversary Lecture onNigerian Democracy: Getting it Right in 2014was delivered by Professor Maurice Iwu, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).