TheNewsGuru

Tag: SIRA

  • Buhari’s Minister opens up on FG’s plan to reintegrate Boko Haram members

    Buhari’s Minister opens up on FG’s plan to reintegrate Boko Haram members

    There is no definite pronouncement by the federal government on what will become of surrendered Boko Haram members, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama has said.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Onyeama made this known on Saturday in Abuja during the 2021 edition of the Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA) Annual Public Lecture.

    Onyeama amidst growing concerns over rumoured plans by the government to reintegrate the surrendered Boko Haram commandants and others to the society.

    Many Nigerians have argued the terrorists should face the consequences of their deeds rather than being pardoned or rehabilitated by the government.

    But Onyeama said the Federal Government was yet to decide what to do with them.

    Addressing the gathering, which includes foreign diplomats, the Minister said: “The mechanisms we are adopting are local and we are looking at experience from other countries in taking a definitive decision on what to do. I guess we would also look at individual cases.

    “We can’t just have a blanket decision. There are so many aspects to that but the government is yet to take a definite decision on that. I think very soon, we would have a definite position.”

    On the country’s foreign policy, he said it is difficult to say as it varies from one country to another.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari as the arrow head of the country’s engagement, diplomacy has yielded much fruit with the appointment of many Nigerians into global and continental bodies.

    TNG reports the 2021 annual public lecture of SIRA has as its theme, “Continuity and Change in Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Under President Muhammadu Buhari”.

    The event, supported by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Nigeria, was held at the Rotunda Hall, Tafewa Balewa Building, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federal Secretariat in Abuja.

  • SIRA holds 2021 Annual Public lecture on Saturday

    SIRA holds 2021 Annual Public lecture on Saturday

    The Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA), a leading International Relations Think Tank in Africa will hold its 2021 Annual Public Lecture on Saturday, 21 August 2021, in Abuja FCT.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the event, supported by the Fredrich Erbert Stiftung, (FES) Nigeria is titled “Continuity and Change in Nigeria’s Foreign Policy under President Muhammadu Buhari”.

    The 2021 edition of the SIRA’s public lecture will hold at the Tafawa Balewa Building, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Central Business District, Abuja, starting at 11 am.

    The Public Lecture will be delivered by H.E. Prof. Ibrahim A. Gambari, CFR, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to a statement by Oseloka Obaze, Chairperson, SIRA Public Affairs Committee, it is envisaged that the lecture would among other issues, interrogate how Nigeria’s challenging domestic environment is impacting on the conduct of her international relations.

    The Public Lecture, which is expected to attract members of the Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria, Members of Nigeria’s attentive public, international relations experts and students and the Media, will be chaired by H.E. Ambassador Joe Keshi, a former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Other invited and confirmed high-level participants are H.E. Dr. Geoffrey Onycama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is the Special Guest of Honour and H.E. Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Distinguished Guest of Honour, and the presenter of SIRA’s 2021 Book, titled, “Multilateralism in the Contemporary World.”

    Discussants at the event are: Rear Admiral Anthony Isa, former Commandant of the National Defence College, and Julie G. Sanda, Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Strategic Research and Studies, National Defence College, Abuja.

    TNG reports SIRA plans to live stream the public lecture across media platforms.

  • TheNewsGuru.com columnist, Owei Lakemfa, appointed SIRA Chair

    The leading foreign relations Think Tank in Africa, the Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA), has elected human rights activist, labour leader and author, Mr Owei Lakemfa as its new President.

    Mr. Lakemfa who for over two decades has run two weekly columns on Nigeria and international affairs in the VANGUARD Newspapers and recently TheNewsGuru.com (TNG), succeeds Professor Nuhu O. Yaqub
    OFR, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja and Sokoto State University.

    The new Vice President is Colonel Wilson Ijide RTD, former Training Team Leader, Nigerian Army School of infantry with wide experience in international peacekeeping. He has a PhD in Industrial/Organisational Psychology and lectures in the Department of Psychology, and Institute
    for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan.

    Dr. Adaora Osondu-Oti, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, was elected the Chairperson of the Editorial/ Publication Committee.

    Elected Secretary is Mrs Fatima Mahmud, Lecturer in Political Science and International Relations, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    Prof. W. Alade Fawole, a leading foreign affairs expert and author of books like ‘The Illusion of The Post-Colonial State: Governance and Security Challenges in Africa’ and ‘Nigeria’s External Relations and Foreign Policy Under Military Rule: 1966-1999’ was elected the Chairperson of the Research Committee.