SPEECHES

Ambassador John Campbell
Introductory Remarks
Dr. Martin Luther King Day Panel Discussion

January 17, 2007, 09:30 a.m.
Abuja

Protocols.

Thank you for attending this panel discussion today, in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King is one of our most distinguished Americans – a man who gave voice to the message of peace, freedom and justice for all citizens; and he helped bring about the end of racial segregation in America and the beginning of a new path to the American dream for those who had been excluded because of their race or gender.

As you may know, on Monday the American Embassy observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday that celebrates, in the words of Dr. King’s late wife Coretta Scott King, his “global vision of the world house, a world whose people and nations had triumphed over poverty, racism, war and violence…  his vision of ecumenical solidarity, his insistence that all faiths had something meaningful to contribute to building the beloved community.”

Dr. King’s devout faith in God and his respect for all people led him to become America’s pre-eminent advocate of nonviolent protest.

According to Mrs. King, Dr. King was a man “who taught by his example that nonviolent action is the most powerful, revolutionary force for social change available to oppressed people in their struggles for liberation.”

Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us that in all societies on the pilgrimage toward democracy and the rule of law, violence, murder and other forms of intimidation are never, ever justifiable in the sight of God, or humanity.

I convey this message to you today because the people of the United States stand beside all Nigerians on the road to peaceful, democratic government during this period of preparation for elections in April and the succession of one civilian government by another in May, for the first time in Nigeria’s history.

Having just held our own mid-term elections, which as you know, were not without problems, we look forward to applauding the achievement of free and fair Nigerian elections in April, and we will rejoice with you in a peaceful, orderly transition of government in May.

As President George W. Bush said last November when he inaugurated the new Martin Luther King Jr. memorial on the National Mall, Martin Luther King “redeemed the promise of America.”

And his words remind us that we still have work to do to eliminate poverty and ensure the equality of opportunity for all Americans.

And so, in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., I encourage you all to redeem your own promise.

Thank you.