42nd AGM: Repositioning for greater effectiveness -Full text of AANI President, MD Abubakar’s speech
(Photo: Former IGP MD Abubakar, AANI President – Photo credit: Stallion Times/Google)
BEING TEXT OF ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE (AANI) IGP MOHAMMED DAHIRU ABUBAKAR (rtd) CFR mni NPOM ON THE OCCASSION OF THE 42nd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) OF AANI HELD AT THE NAF CONFERENCE CENTRE AND SUITES, KADO, ABUJA, ON SATURDAY 5th MARCH 2022.
Protocols
My Dear Distinguished Members,
On behalf of the National Executive Committee (EXCO) of AANI I would like to welcome you all to the 42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM 2022) of our prestigious Association. The orderly and seamless conduct of AANI AGMs over the years is an indication of the maturity and versatility of our members. We thank God Almighty for sparing our lives to be part of this year’s AGM. I fervently pray that God, in His infinite mercies, will continue to bestow His blessings on all of us, our Association, and our great country, Nigeria.
During the 41st AGM held on Saturday, 6th of March, 2021, at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, I was elected unopposed for a second term as AANI President. On behalf of all the elected EXCO members, I once again humbly express our profound appreciation to all members for the confidence reposed in us. We shall continue to uphold your trust and work hard to reposition AANI for greater effectiveness, which is the theme of this year’s AGM.
ACTIVITIES OF AANI
The first year of our two year tenure presented with a lot of challenges. Travel restrictions and protocols, limited the activities of all organizations, including AANI. As a result some of our programs including the planned Unity Conference aimed at promoting new initiatives for achieving durable national unity and integration in Nigeria are still on the drawing board. We are now planning a hybrid conference on National Unity to facilitate the participation of some of our resource persons who are allergic to large crowds and not willing to travel. New date for the all important event will be announced after the AGM. Our health insurance programme also faced challenges. Insurance Brokers classified AANI as a high risk client because of the advance age of most of our members and the COVID 19, leading to delay in the take off of the program. Hopefully, with Barr Rotimi Edu mni, as the President and Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, we may get the project back on track. We thank God that the current drive to go back to normal will allow for greater interaction and advocacy.
Inspite of the challenges, AANI continued to engage effectively with stakeholders across the country, sometimes via zoom. Our latest engagement with the FCT Minister was a bumper harvest. He has indicated interest to partner with AANI on all the issues raised with him and in particular to leverage on the huge reservoir of experts available to AANI, in tackling some developmental challenges, like waste management, security, traffic and other urban and rural development challenges. In this regard, all AANI members are invited to liaise with the National Secretariat to develop concept notes for partnership with the MFCT or their State Governments, in their area of expertise. I am happy to report that the FCT Minister is also favourably disposed to the application for land by the AANI Cooperative Society (ACS). We shall follow up this to fruition for the benefit of our members.
AANI Co-operative Society
During the 41st AGM, the AANI EXCO constituted an interim management committee to run the affairs of the AANI Co-operative Society (ACS). I am happy to inform you that ACS has commenced operations, and we advise members who have not joined to do so and those who have joined to increase their contribution to the co-operative. The total assets of the Cooperative stands at N95,651,772 as at 31st December 2021. The audited financial report will be presented in the course of this AGM.
State Chapters Revival and Visitations
The year 2021 witnessed appreciable activities by AANI chapters across the country and we urge all members to maintain the momentum. Chapter elections were held in Katsina, Abuja, Lagos, Kano/Jigawa and Ondo. We commend all the Chapter for successful AGMs and congratulate the elected Executive Committees for offering to serve. We also thank outgoing chapter EXCOs and believe that you will remain active in the activities of your branches. We encourage all chapters to host high profile national events on issues that affect the lives of the people in their local environment. On our part we shall continue to partner with and support all AANI chapters towards the attainment of our overall objectives.
Work Plan, 2022
A few hours ago,
we concluded the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, where AANI National and the various chapters presented their program for the year 2022 aimed at achieving the overall objective of AANI. Our Association has a broad objective of working with relevant stakeholders towards a better society. Several advocacy and sensitisation activities were carried out to address developmental challenges and promote accountability and good governance at all levels of the society. However progress in this regard is marginal, due to various challenges, including lack of a policy framework for the implementation of the research findings and recommendations from our Alma Mater. This has created poor synergy and partnership among stakeholders and hinders coordinated action towards implementing the robust recommendations and implementation strategies from NIPSS.
In the last lap of our stewardship we intend to develop a Coordination Framework for the implementation of the research findings and recommendations from NIPSS. This would sensitize and build capacity of government Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), parliamentarians, the judiciary, development partners, professional groups, the general public and variety of actors including mni, towards mainstreaming the implementation of NIPSS recommendations by responsible agencies of government.
As part of this effort, AANI EXCO is currently engaging effectively with government and other stakeholders for the establishment of a Technical Working Group to develop the framework and the appointment of an AANI member, by the government, as a focal point for monitoring the implementation of NIPSS recommendations by the relevant government MDAs.
Relationship with our Alma-Mater
Our relationship with the National Institute (NIPSS) has remained cordial. We shall continue to support the regular upgrade of curricula and infrastructure to promote conducive atmosphere for academic excellence at the institute. Recently, we welcomed 85 new members of SEC 43/2021 into the fold of AANI, I urge you all to contribute your quota ‘towards a better society’ as embodied in our motto. The Senior Executive Course 44/2022 with 89 participants has also commenced. We wish them all the best as they undertake the course and look forward to receiving them into our fold at the end of the year.
We congratulate Professor Ayo Omotosho on his recent appointment as the new Director-General of NIPSS and look forward to partnering with him to attain set policy goals and address very critical issues towards transforming the institute into the foremost centre for policy research and reflection in Africa. I also thank the former acting Director-General, Brig. Gen. CFJ Udaya, (rtd), mni for holding fort.
Review of AANI Constitution
You will recall that a committee headed by Prince Julius A Adelusi OFR, FIoD, mni was set up to review the AANI constitution by the last EXCO. The draft has passed through other constitutional requirements and will be presented for your comments and final review for adoption during the plenary.
STATE OF THE NATION
As I said during my end of year message recently, AANI is deeply concerned over the armed violence, economic difficulties and heated political space that have created social tension, loss of lives and wide spread fear over the future of our dear country, as a united and democratic country. Efforts by Governments at various levels to tackle these challenges achieved only a marginal success, because the challenges are deep rooted and require comprehensive, participatory and proactive solutions. AANI as a Think Tank is available to partner with government and all stakeholders to tackle these challenges through promoting a comprehensive strategy that would stabilize the polity and promote a proactive agenda for the overall development of the country. We believe that adequate focus on qualitative and functional education for our teeming population and agriculture and agro allied processing as our area of comparative advantage would increase employment, reduce poverty and crimes and promote overall growth and development in Nigeria. These require a comprehensive programe of action that is objective, participatory and implemented on a continuous basis in an integrated and strategic manner. We must rededicate ourselves to the Nigerian project and provide durable solutions to the prevailing situation in the country.
2023 General Elections
As we approach the 2023 general elections we call on the political class to uphold global best practices and focus on the security, welfare and economic prosperity of Nigerians over and above their personal ambitions and pecuniary interests. The recent assent to the Electoral Act by Mr President provides a new opportunity for free and fair election in Nigeria. We call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to activate all the provisions of the law towards the conduct of free and fair general elections in 2023. However the challenges facing our country highlighted earlier cannot be properly addressed, unless broadminded and selfless individuals with capacity and courage seek and get elected into elective positions. We therefore urge Nigerians with these qualities including members of the National Institute to participate actively in the political process as part of efforts to rescue Nigeria. We must deemphasise money politics and come together to sponsor candidates that can pursue an agenda for the common good. In addition to the Dialogue on National Unity, AANI also intends to convene a stakeholders meeting ahead of the 2023 election, to sensitize both politicians and electorates on the need to focus on issues that affects the lives of the people and the candidates with the capacity and pedigree to address them; rather than selfish interests and material inducements.
BEREAVEMENT
On a sad note, AANI lost some Distinguished members and many of us also lost loved ones during the year 2021. We still mourn the demise of Senator Durojaiye mni, SEC 1 and other members who died after the last AGM. We pray for the repose of their souls. May I request that we observe a minute of silence in their memories! May Almighty God grant them eternal rest and their families the fortitude to bear the loss.
CONCLUSION
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, all our achievements in the last year would not have been possible without the support of all our members. May I therefore on behalf of the AANI EXCO, express our gratitude to all of you and in particular to our elders for your invaluable advice and guidance. We pray that you will all continue to show interest in the affairs of AANI in the years ahead. We shall continue to seek the support, guidance and blessings of the Chairman and members of the Heritage Council under the leadership of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, as well as the Board of Trustees.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the EXCO members for their support and contributions. I also thank all the active members of AANI and the staff of the AANI Secretariat for their high-level commitment and hard work. On this very encouraging note and with your permission, I declare the AGM open.
I thank you and may God bless us all. Amen.
IGP MD Abubakar (Rtd), CFR, FCE, FCAI, FIIPS, FNMI, NPM, psc, mni
AANI President
