Bishop Hassan-Kukah to speak on Oputa Panel in Ibadan Tuesday

The Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese in Sokoto, writer, civil activist and commentator on national affairs, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah would be in Ibadan, Oyo State on Tuesday.

Hassan-Kukah will be the guest of the book readers’ club of the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) on Awolowo Road in the capital city.

According to the school, the respected clergy and social commentator will be reading from his book Witness to Justice: An Insider’s Account of Nigeria’s Truth Commission (2011) a critical narrative of the Human Rights Violation Investigations Commission (otherwise known as the Oputa Panel) established by the Obasanjo administration to investigate the causes, nature and extent of human rights violations from 1966 to 1999.

The reading is the school’s second, having earlier hosted poet and gubernatorial candidate in Edo State, Odia Ofeimun who read from his book, Taking Nigeria Seriously.

 ISGPP said of Hassan-Kukah “he is a fiery and indefatigable patriot whose love for Nigeria is not in doubt. And not surprisingly, he will be reading from his book. This is a serious book that brings together, in over 500 pages, history, politics and violence within the framework of Nigeria’s tormented development in a beautiful narrative that is bold and sincere.”

According to the school, apart from having Hassan-Kukah speaking to cogent issues in the book, it had also invited distinguished personalities and the entire public to the event.

Among those expected at the reading are Professor Femi Osofisan, Dr. Sepehen Lawani, Professor Bolanle Awe, Mr. Edmund Obilo, Professor Pai Obanya, Professor Akin Mabogunje, Mr Bankole Olayebi, Mr Lekan Sote, Professor Ayo Banjo, Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe, and so many others.

“The essence of the gathering around Fr. Kukah’s book is not only to tease out the arguments of the book, but to also see its significance within the larger problem of Nigeria’s national development,” said ISGPP.