PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

American Corner Abuja Honors the Memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Date: January 23, 2008
Venue: American Corner, Abuja

The American Corner Abuja honored the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Day with a program for youth. 

Mrs. Hauwa Evelyn Shekerau was the guest speaker at the ceremony. Ms. Shekerau is a U.S. Embassy International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) alumnus.

The event was attended by thirty four secondary school students plus teachers from four schools within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).  U.S. Embassy Information Resource Officer Henry Mendelsohn provided opening remarks on Dr. King.

Americans observe the third Monday of January as a public holiday in honor of the life and achievements of Dr. King who in 1964 won a Nobel Peace laureate and is the individual most associated with the triumphs of the African-American civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s.  Dr. King was killed on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee

Speaking on the legacies of Dr. King, Mrs. Shekerau said religious intolerance, cultism, hostage taking and militancy among youths have become a major concern in Nigeria.  She urged the students to emulate the virtues of Dr. King’s non-violence approach to problem-solving. She deplored activities of cultism especially among youths which she said has crept into secondary schools.  Mrs. Shekerau called on the youths in the Niger Delta Area to eschew violence in the pursuit of a “legitimate demand” for a fair share of the natural resources within their locality. 

Dr. King used a non-violent approach to struggle for civil rights and was pivotal in persuading his fellow Americans to end the legal segregation that prevailed throughout the American South and parts of other regions.  Through this method, he was also able to spark off support for the civil rights legislation that established the legal framework for racial equality in the United States.

Five students emerged winners of the Martin Luther King quiz competition conducted after the lecture. 

Mrs. Shekerau urged the students to carry Dr. King’s message home to parents, friends and neighbors.