Former Director-general of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Ladi Hamalai, has been appointed to lead the Project Advisory Council established for the ICONS of the Fourth Republic project.

Blueprint reports that the ICONS of the Fourth Republic project, an Initiative for Celebrating Outstanding National Statespersons, is a flagship initiative of OrderPaper Nigeria, the country’s foremost independent parliamentary think tank and legislative accountability platform.

It is dedicated to documenting and celebrating the legacies of distinguished public officials who have served in both the legislature and executive arms of government since 1999.

A statement signed by Programmes Manager at OrderPaper, Uko Etuk, said the council will oversee and guide the delivery of the ICONS project with integrity as a national legacy initiative and comprises eminent professionals, charged with providing strategic direction, editorial oversight, and validation of the ICONS book of records and accompanying digital archive, to ensure credibility, accuracy, and pan-national non-partisan outlook.

He noted that the council was comprised of leading figures from academia, public policy, journalism, civil society, and legislative research, all of whom have been selected for their demonstrated expertise, professional accomplishments, and integrity.

The statement said members of the council include Renowned Civil Society Leader, Dr. Otive Igbuzor; Professor of Mass Communication at Baze University, Abuja, Abiodun Adeniyi; and prominent Political Analyst; Prof. Abba Sadique, deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Abuja; and  veteran journalist, public affairs analyst, and former editor of the Daily Independent newspaper, James Akpandem.

Others include visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics (LSE), Dr. Uche Igwe;  a lawyer, Dr. Halima Gaya; and Research and Strategy Advisor at the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (NALTF), Mr. Mathew Coker.

The statement further noted that Chief Executive of OrderPaper, Oke Epia, expressed delight at the rich quality and varied experiences of the council’s members.

He said such a combination will “guarantee that the ICONS project meets the highest standards of objectivity, scholarship, gender inclusion, nationalistic and non-partisan delivery, and historical accuracy.

“By appointing this diverse and distinguished advisory council, OrderPaper affirms its commitment to ensuring the project is guided by inclusive, impartial, and evidence-based principles, whilst promoting democratic values and institutional memory for future generations.”

The statement added that the ICONS initiative was based on the pioneering FLEX framework, the Facility for Legislative Executive Exchange, which was established by OrderPaper to critically examine the movement of political actors between Nigeria’s two main branches of government.

“The FLEX principle recognises the significant crossover of leadership roles and seeks to assess the long-term democratic and governance effects of such transitions.

“The ICONS project is built on three core pillars: a book of records – a high-quality, research-grade and limited-edition publication profiling the lives, service records, and democratic impact of selected ICONS; an interactive digital archive, which will feature sub-portals for each ICON with curated historical content and public-facing multimedia documentation; and a high-profile celebratory gala night and public unveiling event, scheduled to hold later in 2025 in Abuja, where the first edition of the book of records and digital repository will be officially launched.

“This project marks a significant contribution to Nigeria’s democratic memory and institutional heritage. Over the last 25 years of the Fourth Republic, Nigeria has witnessed a unique evolution in its political class, with governors becoming senators, lawmakers becoming ministers, and public officials whose legislative and executive footprints have shaped national policy,” the statement stressed.