Who We Are

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

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Narration by the initiator and co-founder

Chief Livinus Ngwangwa JP, ACAI (Member Board of Trustees)

I trained as a JICA participant at Tsukuba International Agricultural Centre in Ibraki Prefecture from 1973-1974 on mechanized rice production course. As the programme was coming to an end, some of my colleagues from Asian countries, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand convinced me of the need to form JICA Alumni Association in my country. They enumerated to me various benefits they were enjoying from the organization in their respective countries and that there were 23 of such Associations already established and functioning very effectively and efficiently in different parts of the world especially in the third world and developing economies.

I trained as a JICA participant at Tsukuba International Agricultural Centre in Ibraki Prefecture from 1973-1974 on mechanized rice production course. As the programme was coming to an end, some of my colleagues from Asian countries, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand convinced me of the need to form JICA Alumni Association in my country. They enumerated to me various benefits they were enjoying from the organization in their respective countries and that there were 23 of such Associations already established and functioning very effectively and efficiently in different parts of the world especially in the third world and developing economies.

The objectives of the Associations in their various countries, according to them were;

  1. To create a bond of friendship among its members and build bridges of cooperation, free exchange of ideas, knowledge and technological advancement, cultural ties locally and with JICA family internationally.
  2. To provide assistance and guidance to indigenes interested in JICA programmes or in visiting Japan and
  3. To foster cultural ties or social exchange between the indigenes and the Japanese residing in the country.

          After more consultation with my intimate friends from China and Sri Lanka, I was more determined to initiate action for the formation of JICA Alumni Association of Nigeria (JAAN). On arrival to Nigeria, on August 15th 1984, I wrote a letter to JICA head office in Tokyo expressing our country’s desire to form JICA Alumni Association of Nigeria. On October 28 1984, Ref 59.11.02 T-54, Mitsuo Ishizaki, Head, Administration Division Training Department replied and was very delighted to observe that we were  keen to establish JICA Alumni Association in Nigeria. He, therefore, directed me to contact the Japanese Embassy in Lagos and route our request through diplomatic channel to the JICA head office in Japan. Membership list (needing at least 20 ex – participants), plan of activities and rules and regulations of the proposed association were demanded.

On April 4th 1985, I complied as directed above and supplied 90 names instead of 20 ex – participants demanded. This exercise took me to all the parts of the country after collecting names from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy of Japan. I went to the following centers among others

  1. Dept of Customs and Exercise
  2. Nigeria Rail ways
  3. Federal Capital Territory
  4. Nigeria Export Promotion Council
  5. Nigeria Ports Authority
  6. NNPC
  7. Delta Steel Company
  8. NEPA
  9. All the Federal Ministries and some State Ministries
  10. Nigeria External Communications
  11. Universities
  12. Katsina Steel Rolling Company

I also included plan of activities and rules and regulation which will be used to formalize the constitution of the association.

On submission of the above to the Embassy in Lagos for onward transmission to Tokyo, the then First Secretary to the Embassy Mr. Akira Kawahara wrote on 20th June 1985 requesting me to visit the Embassy for the following reasons

  1. To confirm the content of the request
  2. To discuss the procedure of application before conveying my letter to the JICA Head Office in Tokyo through the embassy.
  3. To submit the replies and evidence of the willingness of ex-participants contacted to join the association.

I had to write to all the people whose names I had submitted to the Embassy. With their replies signed individually, I re-submitted these to the embassy Ref: JAAN/85/VOL1/005 dated 7th October 1985. These were then sent to Tokyo through Diplomatic channel before formal approval was granted and conveyed to us.

Gladly, JICA Alumni Association of Nigeria was established on 10th December, 1986 at NECOM House, Marina-Lagos with seven members in attendance. The Association was launched at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Victoria Island, Lagos on 30th September, 1989 and was incorporated under The Land (perpetual succession) Act cap. 98 at Abuja on the 9th of November 1990 via incorporation certificate No. 6053. The following members were duly appointed as Trustees;

  1. Dawood Ajani Akinwale (late)
  2. James Chuba Ebere Okpala
  3. Nandul Durfa
  4. James Kayode Naiyeju
  5. L.A.O Ngwangwa

The first national president was Mr. Dawood Ajani Akinwale (late) with the headquarters of the association in Lagos. Its meetings were held at University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos.

The tenure of Late Chief Akinwale who was supported by effective executive was between 1987 -1989. The second executive with Mr H.C.O Ogwo as president was in office from 2nd May, 1988 to 1st April, 2000. The third executive and the last national president in Lagos was Deacon A.A. Fajobi who was in office for two terms from 1st April, 2000 to 2nd April 2004 before the headquarters moved to Abuja.

THE ABUJA STORY

By Dr Dan Aighewi, mni (Ex-President)

The Abuja chapter of JICA Alumni Association started off as a zone and was inaugurated at NIPOST Board room on 23rd September, 1999 with the following in attendance;

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  1. H.C. Ogwo – National President
  2. Mrs Z.B. Pisagih
  3. A.O. Adekanye
  4. D.D.N. Kaze
  5. J.K. Naiyeju
  6. K. Uchegbu
  7. Ogbeifun – Protem Secretary (National Assistant Secretary)

At this meeting, the national president emphasized that the Abuja zone will eventually become the JICA Headquarters as the federal capital had moved from Lagos to Abuja.

At the end of the inauguration meeting, election was conducted and the following members emerged as the first executive

  1. Dr Durfa – President
  2. J.K. Naiyeju – 1st Vice President
  3. V. Ogbeifun – Secretary General
  4. Mrs Z.B Pisagih – Social Secretary
  5. A.O Adekenye – Asst. Secretary
  6. Mr D.D.N Kaze – Finance Sec.
  7. K Uchegbu – Treasurer

Following the transfer of the Secretary General (Mr. V Ogbeifun) back to Lagos, Dr Dan E. Aighewi, mni who had just moved to Abuja was made the Secretary.

Under the leadership of the president (Dr Durfa), the Secretary was mandated to effect the transfer of the JICA Alumni Association headquarters from Lagos to Abuja. Publication to this effect was in the national dailies. On 8th April, 2005, the national headquarters was formally moved from Lagos to Abuja with Dr Durfa becoming the National President and Dr Dan E. Aighewi, mni, as the National General Secretary.

The other exco members were;

  1. J.K Naiyeju – 1st Vice President
  2. A.M. Argungu (Late) – 2nd Vice President
  3. Emmanuel Okokon-ndem – Assist. Secretary General
  4. N.E. Nnadozie – Treasurer
  5. Mr Ken Uchegbu – Auditor
  6. Hajiya Zainab U. Sheriff – Education Secretary
  7. Ahmed Agberankhe – Organizing Secretary

The tenure of the first national executive residing in Abuja ended on ……………with the following elected as the new Exco

  1. Mr J.K Naiyeju – President
  2. Dr Sulai Danjuma – 1st Vice President
  3. Dr (Mrs) Uju – 2nd Vice President
  4. Dr Dan Aighewi, mni – General Secretary
  5. Â

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Again, on ……….election was held and Mr. J.K Naiyeju emerged as president (2nd term) with the following other executive members;

  1. Dr Sulai Danjuma – 1st Vice President
  2. Dr Dan Aighewi, mni – 2nd Vice President

Following the end of the tenure of the above Exco, another election was conducted and Dr Dan E. Aighewi, mni, emerged as the president with the other Exco members as follows;

  1. Emmanueal Okokon-Ndem – 1st Vice President
  2. Hajia Aishatu Gambo Jakada – 2nd Vice President
  3. Ahmed Agberankhe – General Secretary
  4. David Oyeleke – Assist. General Secretary
  5. Raliatu Bello – Treasurer
  6. Sampson Ngadi – JICA link officer
  7. Moses C. Mbakwe – Financial Secretary
  8. Maraizu Nwankwo – Auditor
  9. Ifeoma Egbo – Education Secretary
  10. Monday Ibrahim – Organizing Secretary
  11. Mrs Bamidele F. O. – Legal Adviser
  12. Maruf Ajenifuja – Ex-officio

Since the movement of the headquarters to Abuja, the membership of the association has grown from ——- to ——— and monthly meetings are held at JICA office located at —————.

The association has worked with the JICA Nigerian office since 2005 with the following Chief Resident Representatives;

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Sponsors and Partners

We thank the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria and JICA Nigeria office for giving us the support to organize our programmes.