Heavy security mounted at venue of centenary talkshop

Jonathan receives UK’s Mark Simmonds

Jonathan receives UK's Mark Simmonds

Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Airforce jets and police helicopters are parading the skies as Nigeria ramped up security for one of the highlights of its centenary celebrations, an international Summit with the theme “Human Security, Peace and Development: Setting the Agenda for Africa in the 21st Century.”

All roads leading to International Conference Centre venue of the event were cordoned off while detachments of security men made of men of the Nigerian armed forces, policemen and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were deployed to strategic areas of the city. Some of the guests and delegations from foreign countries invited for the event are already seated at the venue as at the time of filing in this story.

President Goodluck Jonathan will deliver a keynote address on the theme of the Summit.

Jonathan receives UK's Mark Simmonds
Jonathan receives UK’s Mark Simmonds

The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, the President of Sierra Leone, and representative of Great Britain,Northern Ireland, President of the European Union Commission among others are also listed to present papers on the theme of the Summit.

Federal Government said last week that about 28 World leaders (African and European) have indicated their readiness to grace Nigeria’s centenary the Summit.

Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of Federation, said last week that the theme of Nigeria’s centenary celebrations was designed around the key concepts of unity, indivisibility, virility, progress and promise of the Nigerian federation.

Also, U.S. President Barack Obama has designated State Counsellor Thomas Shannon as the leader of a presidential delegation to Nigeria for the centenary celebrations. i

A statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the State Department said Shannon would meet with government officials and participate in high-level activities with other world leaders during the centenary.

Jonathan receives Mauritania's leader
Jonathan receives Mauritania’s leader

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The U.S official will also deliver a message from President Obama to Nigeria and later travel to Lagos for discussions on a range of issues of mutual interest and interact with Nigerian youths.

Also, Didier Burkhalter, President of the Swiss Confederation, has sent a letter of congratulations to President Goodluck Jonathan on the centenary.

Burkhalter would be represented at the celebrations by the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Hans-Rudolf Hodel.

“May the ties of confidence and friendship which so happily exist between our two countries continue to flourish in the coming centenary’’, the Swiss president wrote.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a major highlight of the week-long activities include an international conference on peace and security in Africa on Thursday to be attended by several world leaders.

The celebrations will also feature an international concert which will be held at Abuja National Stadium later today.

On Friday, President Jonathan will confer honours on 100 Nigerians, with about 40 per cent of the awards to be presented posthumously.

The award ceremony will be preceded by a Jumat Service at National Mosque, Abuja. The Ceremony will be rounded off with an interdenominational service at National Ecunimenical Centre, Abuja.

The British colonial authorities had on Jan. 1, 1914 amalgamated what were then the separate protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria.

The amalgamation resulted in the creation of a single geo-political entity known as Nigeria.

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