Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) will host its 2025 Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, on September 17, bringing together prominent African leaders and global development experts to discuss the state of democracy in the region.
According to a statement from Ikechukwu Eze, Special Adviser to former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, attendees will include Ghanaian President John Mahama, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and other notable figures such as Kadré Ouédraogo, former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso and ex-President of the ECOWAS Commission, as well as the current ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, and Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese.
Eze noted that the event, themed “Why Democracies Die,” will be co-hosted by the GJF and the Ghanaian government.
“The dialogue offers a platform to critically assess the progress, challenges, and future of democratic governance in West Africa,” Eze stated, emphasizing the opportunity for participants to explore ways to strengthen democratic institutions.
The 2025 dialogue, the fourth in the series since its inception in 2021, will be chaired by Obasanjo, with Bishop Kukah delivering the keynote address.
Eze highlighted the Foundation’s commitment to fostering discussions that evaluate the sustainability and impact of democracy in the region.
Reflecting on the 2024 dialogue, which centered on purposeful education, Eze recalled the contributions of Prof. Olubayi Olubayi, a distinguished educationist. “Prof. Olubayi advocated for the establishment of merit-based, research-intensive universities to drive technological advancement in Africa,” Eze said.
This year’s event aims to shed light on the erosion of democratic norms and propose solutions to reverse this trend.
“We anticipate that Bishop Kukah and other speakers will provide actionable insights to address the challenges facing African democracies,” Eze added
