CHRICED @ 20 Anniversary Lecture & Gala
November 2, 2026 | Armed Forces Officers’ Mess & Suites, Asokoro, Abuja
Distinguished Chairman of this Occasion; Our Royal Fathers and Royal Mothers; Special Guests of Honour; Esteemed Development Partners; Leaders of Civil Society; Members of the Diplomatic Community; Our Esteemed Media Friends; Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with profound gratitude and a deep sense of humility that I welcome you all to this historic celebration of CHRICED @ 20.
Today is more than an anniversary. It is a moment of reflection, thanksgiving, and renewal. It is an opportunity to celebrate two decades of advancing democracy, amplifying citizens’ voices, defending human rights, and promoting accountable governance in Nigeria.
Twenty years ago, CHRICED was established at a critical moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey. While the country had returned to civil rule, many citizens remained excluded from governance, public institutions were fragile, and democratic accountability was still evolving. It was in response to these challenges that CHRICED emerged with a simple but powerful conviction: that democracy can only flourish when citizens are informed, empowered, and actively involved in shaping their future.
What began as a dream has grown into a respected national institution committed to civic education, democratic governance, policy advocacy, social justice, and citizen empowerment.
Over the past two decades, we have worked alongside communities across Nigeria to deepen democratic participation, strengthen accountability and electoral integrity, expand educational opportunities, protect vulnerable populations, empower women and young people, and improve access to healthcare and public services. Our work has touched millions of lives and helped ensure that the voices of ordinary citizens remain central to national development.
Yet the true measure of our success is not found in numbers alone. It is reflected in the child who returned to school, the young person who found opportunity, the mother who gained access to life-saving healthcare, the community that secured essential public services, and the citizen who found the confidence to demand accountability. These stories represent the real legacy of CHRICED’s first twenty years.
As we celebrate this milestone, we honour those whose vision and sacrifice laid the foundation for our success.
We remember with profound respect our pioneer Chairman, the late Professor Abubakar Momoh, whose intellectual brilliance, courage, and commitment to democratic ideals helped shape the identity of CHRICED. We also honour Alhaji Alhassan Isah, former member of our Board of Directors, whose wisdom, humility, and dedication strengthened our institution.
To all past and present members of the CHRICED Board of Directors, we express our deepest appreciation. The achievements we celebrate today rest firmly on the foundation you helped establish.
Permit me also to recognise Mr. Sulaiman Muniru, our very first staff member, who has travelled from Lagos to be with us today. During CHRICED’s early years, when resources were scarce and the future uncertain, he served with extraordinary dedication. He often walked long distances to the office and undertook overnight journeys by road to represent CHRICED at events and deliver programme materials. What is most remarkable is that throughout those challenging years, he never doubted CHRICED’s future. He constantly expressed his belief that CHRICED would one day become a great institution with many staff, broader reach, and offices across the country. Today, that vision stands fulfilled before his very eyes.
Mr. Muniru, we thank you. We honour your sacrifice, celebrate your faith in this organisation, and acknowledge your contribution to the journey we commemorate today.
I would also like to express our profound gratitude to Mr. Olarewaju Suraju, Executive Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, whose generosity and belief in CHRICED came at a critical moment in our journey.
When CHRICED was still a young organisation searching for its footing, Mr. Suraju opened the doors of HEDA and offered us a room in their office at No. 20 Mojidi Street, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos. At a time when we had very little, that single act of kindness gave CHRICED the space and confidence to grow.
Looking back today, it is remarkable to reflect on how that modest room became the foundation of a journey that has now led to the establishment of our permanent headquarters, Professor Abubakar Momoh House in Abuja, and CHRICED Legacy House in Kano.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this story reminds us that institutions do not grow in isolation. They grow because people and organisations are willing to invest trust, friendship, and solidarity in them during their earliest and most vulnerable years.
I am pleased to say that we have had the privilege of reciprocating that generosity. In the spirit of partnership and mutual support, CHRICED has also provided office space for HEDA in our Abuja office. In many ways, this reflects the enduring values that bind our two organisations: collaboration, solidarity, and a shared commitment to accountability, human rights, and democratic governance.
Mr. Olarewaju Suraju and the entire HEDA family, we thank you. Your support came when it mattered most, and CHRICED will always remember that singular gesture of generosity and friendship.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we commemorate this milestone, we do so under the theme: “20 Years of Voice & Justice: Empowering Citizens, Shaping Tomorrow.”
This theme captures both our journey and our aspirations. It reflects two decades of empowering citizens, promoting accountability, and advancing justice. More importantly, it challenges us to continue building a future where democracy works for all and where every citizen has a meaningful voice in public life.
It is therefore fitting that the intellectual centrepiece of today’s celebration is our Anniversary Lecture: “Reclaiming Civic Space: The Rule of Law, Democratic Accountability, and the Future of Citizen Participation in Nigeria.”
At a time when civic space is under pressure and democratic values face new challenges, this conversation is both timely and necessary.
We are especially honoured that this lecture will be delivered by Professor Sam Egwu, one of Nigeria’s most distinguished scholars and public intellectuals. Through decades of scholarship and public service, Professor Egwu has made invaluable contributions to national discourse on governance, citizenship, democracy, and nation-building. We look forward to benefiting from his wisdom and insights.
Today’s celebration also provides an opportunity to launch two important publications:
- The Action Civics Manual for Nigerian Students: A Practical Guide for Civic Engagement and Advocacy; and
- VOICES OF VIGILANCE: CHRICED’s Public Interventions in a Defining Era (Volumes I & II).
These publications reflect our enduring commitment to civic education, democratic learning, and citizen empowerment. They are investments in the future. Above all, they reflect our belief that informed and active citizens remain the strongest guardians of democracy, and that ideas continue to be powerful instruments for social transformation.
Permit me at this point to recognise the two distinguished individuals who will formally present these publications.
Mrs. Julia Krojer, Head of Dialogue and Partnership Services, represents Misereor, the German Catholic Bishops’ Organisation for Development Cooperation. Barely three years after CHRICED was established, Misereor entrusted us with one of our earliest grants. That support helped nurture what was then a young organisation with a bold vision. For nearly two decades, Misereor has remained a faithful and dependable partner, providing not only financial support but also technical guidance and solidarity.
It is therefore most fitting that Mrs. Krojer joins us to unveil The Action Civics Manual for Nigerian Students, a publication designed to inspire a new generation of active, informed, and responsible citizens.
We are equally honoured by the presence of Dr. Amina Salihu, mni, Deputy Director of the MacArthur Foundation’s Africa Office.
For over a decade, the MacArthur Foundation has been an invaluable partner in CHRICED’s institutional growth and development. Through its generous support, we have expanded our programmes, strengthened our organisational capacity, increased our national visibility, established our permanent headquarters in Abuja, Professor Abubakar Momoh House, and launched innovative initiatives such as CHRICED Radio and Television.
The Foundation’s partnership continues to strengthen our institutional growth and shape our vision for the future. Barely a year ago, the President of the MacArthur Foundation, Professor John Palfrey, laid the foundation stone for the Abuja Original Inhabitants Heritage Centre at the University of Abuja, a landmark project being implemented by CHRICED in partnership with the University.
And indeed, just days from now, the Director of the MacArthur Foundation’s Africa Office, Dr. Kole Ahmed Shettima, will join us in Kano to commission CHRICED Legacy House, a permanent northern hub for civic engagement, democratic participation, and policy advocacy.
We are therefore immensely honoured to have Dr. Amina Salihu, mni, present VOICES OF VIGILANCE: CHRICED’s Public Interventions in a Defining Era (Volumes I & II), a publication that chronicles our public interventions and contributions during some of Nigeria’s defining democratic moments.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Before I conclude, permit me to acknowledge a number of exceptional individuals whose contributions have helped make this celebration possible.
I sincerely thank Mr. Oladayo Olaide, who travelled all the way from Canada to celebrate this milestone with us. Your presence is a powerful demonstration of loyalty and commitment to the CHRICED vision.
I also express our profound appreciation to the Chairman of our Board, Professor Momodu Kassim-Momodu, who interrupted his holiday in London to be here today. Such a gesture reflects uncommon dedication and leadership, and we do not take it for granted.
I warmly thank our Vice Chair, Dr. Ekaete Judith Umoh, and our Diaspora Representative in the United states, Comrade Feyisetan Adunbi, for leading the Branding and Creative Committee and helping to give this celebration its elegance and identity.
I equally thank Professor A.B. Ahmed, our Legal Adviser and Chair of the Content Committee, for his intellectual leadership and guidance throughout this anniversary process.
Our sincere appreciation also goes to Hajiya Nafisa Ado, who chaired the Protocol and Logistics Committee and whose dedication ensured the smooth organisation of this event.
I also salute our programme staff, media team, volunteers, consultants, and anniversary committees, particularly those who worked tirelessly to produce the documentary that chronicles CHRICED’s remarkable journey over the past twenty years.
To all individuals, friends, partners, and well-wishers, particularly my fellow alumni of AMCOSA, who contributed financially and in kind to make this celebration possible, we express our heartfelt gratitude. Your generosity and support are deeply appreciated, and we do not take them for granted.
Before I take my seat, permit me to express my heartfelt appreciation to my wife, Hajiya Binta and children. The demands of this work have often required sacrifices from them just as they have required sacrifices from me. Your patience, understanding, unwavering support, and prayers have sustained me throughout this journey. Whatever we celebrate today has been made possible, in no small measure, by your love and encouragement. For this, I remain profoundly grateful.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It would be an act of ingratitude if I failed to acknowledge our esteemed media friends who have walked this journey with us over the last twenty years.
If CHRICED has had a voice, it is because the media helped carry that voice across Nigeria. If our advocacy resonated beyond conference halls, meeting rooms, and project communities, it is because journalists, editors, broadcasters, and media organisations amplified it. If citizens found the courage to demand accountability, claim their rights, and participate in democratic processes, it is because the media gave visibility to their aspirations, concerns, and struggles.
Through your reporting, you helped transform local issues into national conversations. Through your platforms, you amplified the voices of ordinary citizens and brought public attention to matters of governance, human rights, accountability, and social justice. For your partnership, professionalism, and commitment to the public good, we remain deeply grateful.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The story of CHRICED is ultimately a story of hope. It is the story of citizens finding their voice, communities demanding accountability, and partnerships working together to build a more just, inclusive, and democratic Nigeria.
As we celebrate twenty years of service, we do so with gratitude for the past, pride in the present, and confidence in the future. While challenges remain, we are inspired by how far we have come and encouraged by the possibilities that lie ahead.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, Management, and Staff of CHRICED, I thank you sincerely for honouring us with your presence and for being part of this remarkable journey.
Welcome to CHRICED @ 20.
Welcome to a celebration of voice and justice.
Welcome to a celebration of service, courage, partnership, and hope.
Thank you, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
