Edo Diaspora Agency: NIDO President, Odibo, Renowned Pharmacist, Prof. Odidi, Others Make Steering Committee List

President of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Dr. Johnson Odibo; the Ambassador of the African Bar Association for East, Central and Southern Africa, Ambassador Adesuwa Matthew Beeki-Uwaifo, and the Chief Executive Officer of Intellipharmaceutics International Inc., Prof. Isa Odidi, are among global icons named by Governor Godwin Obaseki to oversee the establishment of the Edo State Diaspora Agency.

The Governor had, on Thursday, 5th August 2021, inaugurated the Edo State Head of Service, Anthony O. Okungbowa Esq., as the chairman of 8-man Steering Committee for the setting up of the Diaspora agency, while Mr. Isaac Ebewele serves as Secretary.

Other members are a former Special Adviser on Information and Orientation to the Edo State Government, Mr. Soni Irabor; Managing Partner, Greenfields Consultancy and Allied Services Ltd., Mr. Chris Osarumwense, and President of the University of Benin Alumni Association, United Kingdom Branch, Dr. Loretta Oduware Ogboro-Okor.

The global experts are expected to bring their wealth of experience in ensuring the establishment of the agency, preparing a detailed start-up plan and defining resource requirements for take-off of the agency.

Odibo, with over 28 years of cross-industry experience in Consulting, IT/Telecom and Finance in Switzerland is currently a senior consultant at Itau Private Bank Zurich. He has travelled and executed projects in Central and Latin America, UAE, Europe (including Switzerland) and Africa.

Prof. Odidi, who trained at Harvard University, University of London, University of Toronto, and Ahmadu Bello University, is an innovator who co-founded Intellipharmaceutical International Inc., which is listed and trading on two international stock exchanges in the USA and Canada.

He has a proven track record and experience in innovation, drug development, testing, clinical trials, regulatory and drug manufacturing. He is a seasoned inventor with over 100 issued and pending patents in the USA, Canada, China, Japan, India and other international jurisdictions.

Also on the team is Ambassador Beeki-Uwaifo, a seasoned diplomat and major entrepreneur with many years of experience in the agro-allied industry.

He was president of the Nigerians living in Zimbabwe; served as president of the Nigerians living in Tanzania, and was made a member of the National Security Council for Neighbourhood Watch in Tanzania (a private appointment by the immediate past president of Tanzania).

Irabor; a broadcaster, advertising practitioner, communications consultant and toastmaster of international repute, is trained as a media trainer with the Radio Deutsche Weller (Voice of Germany) Koln, Germany.

He was the chairman of the Nigeria Arts and Culture Directory Project and the African Regional Summit on Visual Arts (ARESUVA) and currently chairman of Soni Irabor Institute of Media and Communications, which specializes in media and speech training; he is also the chairman of an International NGO, Community Life Project (CLP).

The Committee is expected to complete its assignment within a period of thirty (30) days and submit a report to the Edo State Government.