By Deborah Hassan
Human rights activist, labour leader and author, Mr Owei
Lakemfa, has been elected as the president of Africa’s leading foreign relations Think Tank, Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA).
He succeeds Professor Nuhu O. Yaqub, OFR, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja and Sokoto State University.
A statement issued by SIRA’s Chairperson, Public Affairs Committee,
Mr Oseloka H. Obaze (OHO), on Thursday, also announced the emergence of Colonel Wilson Ijide (Rtd.), as the new Vice President of the body.
Lakemfa is widely known for his two weekly columns on Nigeria and
international affairs which have been running in the VANGUARD Newspapers for almost two decades, Obaze disclosed.
The statement further stated that the new Vice Chairman, Col. Ijide (Rtd.), a former Training Team Leader, Nigerian Army School of infantry, has a wide experience in international peacekeeping and a Ph.D in
Industrial/Organisational Psychology and lectures in the Department of Psychology, and Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan.
Other exco members elected include Dr. Adaora Osondu-Oti, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, as Chairperson of the Editorial/ Publication Committee, and Mrs Fatima Mahmud, Lecturer in Political Science and International Relations, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Others are Prof. W. Alade Fawole, a leading foreign affairs expert and author of books like ‘The Illusion of The Post-Colonial State: Governance and Security Challenges in Africa’ and ‘Nigeria’s External Relations and Foreign Policy Under Military Rule: 1966-1999’, who was elected the Chairperson of the Research Committee.
Dr. Tolu Elizabeth Ifedayo, Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies, Federal University Oye, Ekiti, (FUOYE), was elected the Financial Secretary, while Mr. Oseloka H. Obaze (OHO), former Nigerian diplomat, retired United Nations official and author, was elected Chairperson of the Public Affairs Committee.
Obaze also served from June 2012 to June 2015 as the Secretary to the Government of Anambra State under Governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano and is the author of six books, including Waning Strength of
Government.
A new Board of Trustees for SIRA was appointed, chaired by Ambassador Jibrin Chinade, OFR.
Chinade was Nigerian Ambassador to Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, to the Hague; Netherlands and the Russian Federation with Concurrent Accreditation to the Commonwealth of Independent States Countries (16 Countries). He was also Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Members of the Board include Prof. Emeritus Anthony Asiwaju, historian and leading expert on border issues; Prof. Amadu Sesay, a leading authority on the Economic Community of West African States, and the African Union; Ambassador Abdul Rimdap, at various times Ambassador to Zambia, Austria and Germany, and Ambassador Femi George, former Ambassador to
Portugal, ex- High Commissioner to Canada and retired Federal Permanent Secretary.
Others are Professor R. Ayo Dunmoye, long standing Professor of Political Science and International Relations, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Ms. Julie Sanda, Head of Department, Conflict, Peace-Keeping and Humanitarian Studies, National Defence College, and Professor Nuhu O.
Yaqub, OFR, immediate past president of SIRA.