BACKGROUND
Vladimir Ilich Lenin, whose original name is Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov, was born on April 10th(April 22nd, new style) 1870 at Simbirsk. A Russian lawyer, philosopher, revolutionary, politician,statesman, diplomat and the pioneer Head of State of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1924 and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from 1922 and 1924. He died in Gorki, Leninskiye on 21st January 1924, at the age of 53. January 21st, 2024, thus, marks a hundred years of the death of Lenin.
INTRODUCTION
2.The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to:
a) underscore the need to organise an International Centenary Commemoration of Vladimir Ilich Lenin’s Death; tentatively, spanning from Sunday 21st to Wednesday 24 January 2024;
b) justify the need for an International Centenary Commemoration of Vladimir Ilich Lenin’s Death;
c) state the objectives of the Commemoration;
d) propose the major commemorative activities;
e) highlight the measures for the organisation and implementation of the Commemoration; and
f) itemise the expected outcomes.
JUSTIFICATION FOR CENTENARY COMMEMORATION
3.Why should Africans organise a conference to commemorate the centenary of Lenin’s death, seeingthat the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) he established collapsed in 1989? Why should we, as Nigerians and Africans, be concerned and interested in marking the centenary commemoration on the death of Lenin, considering the rising poverty, hunger, insecurity, environmental degradation, underdevelopment and the devaluation of the African lives?
4. Vladimir Ilich Lenin, was:
a) the greatest advocate of Working Peoples power in the 20th Century;
b) one of the greatest thinkers and intellectuals of the 20th Century;
c) the revolutionary who transformed the theory of Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels into a praxis;
d) the major theoretician, strategist, tactician, organiser, and leader of the first successful Marxist revolution in human history;
e) the Architect, Builder, Chief Diplomat and Head of the first Marxist socialist state in Russia and the world; and
f) the founder of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) and the Communist International (Comintern).
5.The birth, as well as death, of such political giant demands commemoration. Besides, in 1983 Nigerian scholars and activists organised an International Centenary Commemoration of Marx, Marxism and Africa at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, which was well attended by scholars and political activists from within and outside the country.
6.Organising such a Commemoration will importantly provide a forum for some important questions to be raised, debated and discussed. Such questions include, amongst others, whether or not:
a) Marxism-Leninism, as a tool of analysis and political praxis, is still relevant in this era of neo-liberalism;
b) Marxism-Leninism can be a tool to understand globalism and explain the changing world of multilateralism and the rise of bodies like the BRICS;
c) Marxism-Leninism failed in Russia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, China, and of course Africa – Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Angola;
d) Marxism-Leninism can be made to work again, particularly for Africa;
e) Marxism-Leninism can be used to analyse, understand and tackle the current problems of democracy, development and underdevelopment of Africa; and
f) Marxism-Leninism is still emancipatory and relevant today.
7.Hence, the need and necessity for scholars and forces committed to development and emancipatory politics to mark, celebrate and commemorate the centenary of the death of Lenin.
OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMEMORATION
8.The objectives of the Centenary Commemoration is to critically interrogate and examine whether or not:
a) Marxism-Leninism is theoretically and practically relevant to the understanding of human and social phenomena;
b) Marxism-Leninism played any significant role to the anti-colonial and national liberation struggles in Africa and other parts of the imperialized world;
c) Russia, the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe contributed to the development of Africa, including the attainment of national independence; and
d) Marxism-Leninism is still relevant to the understanding of contemporary problems of Africa and the World; and
e) Marxism-Leninism is still useful to the furtherance of development of society, as well as attainment of transformational and emancipatory politics.
ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMEMORATION
9.It is proposed that the Centenary Commemoration should feature four major activities; namely:
a) the publication of featured articles in various Nigerian newspapers and mass media on Leninand Leninism;
b) the organisation of a Public Lectures on “Lenin and Leninism: One Hundred After” to be held on Sunday, 21st January 2024;
c) the hosting of an academic International Conference; and
d) the publication of the Conference proceedingsand the newspaper articles of the Commemoration.
10. Feature Articles: Scholars and activists committed to development and emancipatory politics will be encouraged/commissioned to write articles for publication in popular Nigerian newspapers onLenin, Leninism, Africa and the World. As well scholars and activists be encouraged/commissioned to speak on same in the electronic media, especially televisions and radio stations. The purpose here is topublicize and popularize:
a) the personality of Lenin; his contributions to the emancipation of the Working People, revolutionary thoughts and praxis; his staunch opposition to colonialism, racism and imperialism (which affected Africa); his discourse on Africa and the “Negro Question” in the Americas; his concern with emancipatory politics; amongst others; and
b) the Commemoration of the Centenary of the death of Lenin and draw attention, within and outside Nigeria, to the International Centenary Conference on Lenin, Leninism, Africa & the World being organised.
11. The Commemoration will also involve the organisation of a Public Lecture on 21stJanuary 2024 – being the centenary of Lenin’s death. The purpose here is to as much as possible present Lenin’s ideas, activism and revolutionary struggles. It is proposed that three papers be presented on:
a) Lenin: Scholar, Revolutionary & Statesman. The presenter will be expected to give a brief biography of Lenin and his revolutionary activities within and outside Russia, focusingparticularly on how he led the Bolsheviks Revolutionaries to take over state power on 17thOctober 1917 and manage state power to his death;
b) Lenin’s Contributions to Theory & Practice of Marxism. The presenter should be encouraged to highlight at least the major contributions of Lenin to Marxism. For instance, the issues of Marxist revolution in backward agrarian countries like the Russia of his time; the question of alliance between the working class, the peasantry and revolutionary intellectuals, theneed & necessity vanguard party, etc.; and
c) Lenin, Leninism & World Politics. Here, the focus is how Lenin and Leninism influenced, impacted and changed world politics and international relations.
12. The third and indeed the major activity is the hosting of an International Centenary Conference on Lenin, Leninism, Africa & the World, during which academic orientated papers will be presentedand debated, hopefully, from Monday, 22nd – Wednesday 24th 2024. This event involves:
a) the announcement of the Conference, including“Calls for Papers”, within and outside the country. This will be done electronically and otherwise in such websites like H-Net, etc;
b) the selection and booking of venue for Centenary Conference. University of Abuja, Abuja – FCT, is proposed for consideration because:
i. it is a University environment, which means attendance will most likely be high;
ii. the University is most likely to accede torequest for the use its facilities for free, as the Conference will bring to the University to limelight and help market it internationally as the Centenary on Marx & Marxism did to ABU, Zaria, in the early 1980s. Besides, such Conferences are used in rating universities;
iii. Abuja is more secured, has an international airport, less traffic, and has standard & international hotels befitting for the international scholars & visitors; and
iv. Abuja will give foreign international scholars/visitors much sense of security.
13.It is proposed that the major theme of the Conference should be: “Lenin, Leninism, Africa & the World”, while the sub-themes of the Conference should, amongst others, be:
i. Lenin on the state, democracy and development;
ii. Leninism on Literature, Arts and Culture;
iii. Lenin, Africa and African Diaspora in the Americas;
iv. Lenin and colonialism, anti-colonial and national liberation struggles in Africa and the World;
v. Lenin on the Rights of Nations to Self-determination;
vi. Lenin on Working Class, the Peasantry, the intelligentsia, Women and Students & Youth
vii. Lenin on humanism and internationalism;
viii. Leninism, Working Class and Popular Struggles in Africa and the World;
ix. the significance of the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the socialist countries of Eastern Europe on Lenin and Marxism-Leninism;
x. Neo-Liberalism, Globalism and Development Crisis in Africa;
xi. the critique of Lenin and Leninism; and
xii. any other related and relevant topic.
IMPLEMENTATION
14.The implementation of the activities leading to realisation of The International Centenary Commemoration of Vladimir Ilich Lenin’s Deathhas already commenced. A Steering Committee(SC), chaired by Comrade Owei Lakemfa, withComrade Abdulkadir Isa, and Ahmed Aminu Yusuf as Secretary.
15.The SC is, amongst others, charged with the tasks of:
a) submitting of proposals, plans, programme, memoranda and reports of the Central Organising Committee (COC) for consideration & approval;
b) handling the day-to-day affairs of Lenin’s Centenary Commemoration Group (LCCG);
c) serving as the Secretariat of the COC; and
d) performing any other function that may be assigned by the COC.
16.The Steering Committee first met on Monday, 1st May 2023, during which it discussed the need of and necessity for organising an International Centenary Conference of the death of Lenin. Members resolved:
a) that a Central Organising Committee (COC), comprising of the followings:
i. a representative of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) & Academic Staff Union of Universities;
ii. members of the SC;
iii. a representative of the Edwin Madunagu;
iv. Prof. Toyo Olorode;
v. Mallam Abubakar Sokoto;
vi. Ngozi Iwere;
vii. Hauwa Mustapha;
viii. Y. Z. Yau;
ix. Abiodun Aremu;
x. Dr. Udenta Udenta;
xi. Pam Sha Dung;
xii. Lanre Arogundade; and
xiii. Dr. Mu’azu Maiwada; and
b) that the functions of COC should, amongst others, be responsible for:
i. drawing broad policy & programme for the organisation of the Commemoration;
ii. considering and approval or otherwise of proposals, plans, programme, memorandaand reports of the SC;
iii. forming sub-committees; namely:
➢ Scientific Committee;
➢ Fund Raising Committee;
➢ Logistic Committee;
➢ Information & Communication Committee; and
➢ Protocol & Welfare Committee;
iv. provide any support that will lead to the successful implementation of the activities of the Commemoration.
17.The Steering Committee held another meeting on met on Monday, 15th May 2023, during which it listed the functions of the sub-committees as follows:
a) that the Scientific Committee be charged with:
i. soliciting, accepting and submitting abstracts & papers for assessment;
ii. preparing the Conference panels for paper presentation, including the selections of panel chairs, etc.; and
iii. performing any other function that may be assigned by the COC.
b) that the Fund Raising Committee be charged with:
i. rising funds for the organisation of the Commemoration; and
ii. performing any other function that may be assigned by the COC.
c) that the Logistic Committee be charged with:
i. securing Lecture and Conference venues;
ii. handling transportation to the Lecture and Conference the venues;
iii. sourcing and securing facilities necessary for the success of the Lecture and Conference;
iv. performing any other function that may be assigned by the COC.
d) that the Information & Communication Committee be charged with:
i. ensuring that the Commemoration activities are widely publicised in the print and electronic media;
ii. handling all ICT related matters;
iii. performing any other function that may be assigned by the COC.
e) that the Protocol & Welfare Committee be charged with:
i. welcoming & receiving national and international participants at the Airport, hotel and venue of the Lecture & Conference;
ii. welcoming & receiving participants to venue of the Lecture & Conference;
iii. handling tea-breaks and lunch during the Lecture & Conference;
iv. registering and sharing Lecture and Conference Materials; and
v. performing any other function that may be assigned by the COC
18.At the second meeting, members equally resolved on the formation of an International Advisory Committee (IAC). It was agreed that members of the IAC should be made up of Nigerian academics in the diaspora: namely:
a) North America (USA & Canada) – Prof. Uyilawa Usuanlele
b) Western Europe -
c) Russia -
d) Asia -
e) Southern Africa -
f) East Africa -
And that where a Nigerian cannot be found, any nationality can be chosen.
19.Members also resolved that International Advisory Committee (IAC) should be charged with the following responsibilities:
a) advice the COC and SC on the organisation of the Commemoration;
b) assist in publicizing/internationalizing the Commemoration in their respective various stations;
c) assess and select abstracts for the Conference; and
d) provide any support that will lead to the successful implementation of the activities of the Commemoration.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE COMMEMORATION
21.Lenin is important because he was one the greatest thinker of the 20th century, who successfully theorized, strategized, organised and led the first Marxist socialist revolution in history and set in motion the construction of the first socialist state. He particularly paid theoretical and political attention to colonization of Africa, the “Negro Question” in the Americas, and the general domination and exploitation of non-European peoples by European powers.
22.It is, therefore, expected that at the end of Commemoration, the following, amongst others,would be achieved; namely:
a) that interest and discourse on the personality of Lenin and Marxism-Leninism would have been rekindled;
b) that the relevance or otherwise of Marxism-Leninism, especially to Africa and the world, would have been generated; and
c) that the contributions or otherwise of Lenin, Leninism, the Union Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and other socialist countries to overall development of Africa and other colonized and imperialized parts of the world would have been highlight;
d) that newspaper articles on Lenin and Leninism would have been published in the major Nigerian newspapers and discussed on the major electronic media in Nigeria;
e) that an academic International Centenary Conference of Lenin, Leninism, Africa & the World would have been held; and
f) that the proceedings of entire Commemoration will be published for academic, political and historical purposes.
SUMMARY
23.This Proposal has:
a) underscored the need and necessity of, as well as a justification for, organising an International Centenary Commemoration of Vladimir Ilich Lenin’s Death;
b) outlined the objectives, as detailed in paragraph “8” above;
c) highlighted the four (4) major activities to be featured during the Commemoration to include:
i. the publication of articles to be featured in Nigerian newspapers and electronic media of Lenin & Leninism;
ii. organisation of a Public Lectures to held on Sunday, 21st January 2024;
iii. hosting an international academic Conference; and
iv. the publication of the newspaper articles and Conference proceedings of the Commemoration;
d) gave the rational for the organisation of the (4) major activities itemised in “c” above on paragraphs 10-13;
e) suggested that major theme of the International Centenary Conference on Lenin, Leninism, Africa & the World, and identified 11 sub-themes for the Conference – as detailed in paragraph 13 above;
f) showed the progress so far made towards organisation of the Commemoration, which included the formation of Steering Committee and Central Organising Committee – as detailed in paragraphs “15” above;
g) suggested the need to establish an International Advisory Committee, made up of Nigerians in the diaspora, to advice the SC and COC as well as assist on publicizing the Commemorationin their various stations; and
h) listed the expected out of the Commemoration to include:
i. rekindling interest and discourse on personality of Lenin and Marxism-Leninism;
ii. generating interest and discourse the relevance or otherwise of Marxism-Leninism, especially to Africa and the world;
iii. highlighting the contributions or otherwise of Lenin, Leninism, the Union Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and other socialist countries to overall development of Africa and other colonized and imperialized parts of the world;
iv. publishing newspaper articles on Lenin and Leninism in the major Nigerian newspapers and discussing same on the major electronic media in Nigeria;
v. holding an academic International Centenary Conference of Lenin, Leninism, Africa & the World; and
vi. publishing the proceedings of entire Commemoration for academic, political and historical purposes.
Steering Committee
Lenin’s Centenary Commemoration Group (LCCG)
Abuja, FCT, NIGERIA.