Tribute to Chima Ubani

Friends of Africa

presents...

A Tribute to the late Chima Ubani

17 March 2007 – 2pm to 5pm.

Venue, Room G50, School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), Thornhaugh Street , London WC1

Join us on Saturday 17 March as we celebrate Chima's life.

At the time of his death Chima was the Executive Director of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) where he worked for 15 years. A committed human rights activist, Chima was remarkable for his unwavering dedication to social justice for ordinary Nigerians. Since his university days, Chima has been actively involved in shaping political events in Nigeria . He held a number of key positions: general secretary, Campaign for Democracy (CD), 1992 – 1994, joint secretary, United Action for Democracy (UAD), 1997 – 1998, general secretary, Democratic Alternative (DA), 1994 – 2001. He will long be remembered as a skilled and effective mass organiser and strategist.

He co-ordinated a trip of a representative from the African Liberation Support Campaign (ALISC) based in London to Nigeria in 1994. His last few months were taken up with coordinating the response to another increase in the price of petrol introduced by the federal government. Plans included the organisation of 16 rallies across Nigeria . Chima was killed in a car crash on the way back from a rally in Maiduguri on 21 September 2005. His untimely death is a terrible loss for his family and a huge blow to the movement in Nigeria .

Remember Chima

Programme

Guest speakers:

• Dr Raufu Mustapha: Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University , talks about Chima and the context of his political intervention in Nigerian politics
• Dr Paul Okojie: Manchester Metropolitan University , School of Law , talks about The Challenges for Nigeria
• Dapo Awosokanre: Formerly of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Nigeria (CLO)
• "Chima in pictures": A slideshow of photographs of Chima at work and with his family.
• "Chima speaks": Film footage of Chima in Nigeria
• Dike Chukwumerije: A Poem for Chima
• A time to remember: Messages from Chima's friends, colleagues and comrades

FURTHER INFORMATION : friendsofafrica_ soas@yahoo. co.uk or 079 844 05 307