BRIEF CITATION ON ENGR. PROF. RHODA HABOR GUMUS

Engr. Prof. Rhoda Habor Gumus, born in Koroama town, Gbarain Clan of Bayelsa State, on 21 July, 1953, is a Professor of Chemical Engineering with the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State. She holds an H.N.D. degree in Chemical Engineering from College of Science and Technology (1980), Masters of Technology (M.Tech) in Chemical Engineering from Rivers State University of Science and Technology (now Rivers State University) Port Harcourt (1988) and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Loughborough University, Loughborough, U.K (2005).

Engr. Prof. Rhoda Gumus has published widely in leading journals in the field of Chemical engineering with key interest in; (i) Activated carbon using novel local materials for oil spill clean-up. (ii) Study of packed bed tubular reactor for CO₂ reforming of methane. (iii) Modeling, simulation and design of modular refinery (iv) Reactor design for adsorption purposes

Engr. Prof. Rhoda Gumus has supervised over 40 undergraduate students and over 20 Post Graduate students both Masters and PhD in River State University of Science and Technology, Niger Delta University and University of Uyo.

Engr. Prof. Gumus is affiliated to several professional bodies; namely;

Nigerian Society of Engineers; Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers; Society of Petroleum Engineers; Registered Engineer, Council for the Registration of Engineering.

Prof. Gumus has held several positions and member of various committees in her career, they include;  Departmental Examination Officer, RS/UST, Port Harcourt (1993 – 1995); Departmental Seminar Coordinator, RS/UST, Port Harcourt (1994 – 2001);  Department Coordinator CEP, RS/UST, Port Harcourt (1997 – 1999); Member: Faculty Board of Engineering, NDU, Wilberforce Island (2006 – Date); Member: Faculty of Engr. Research Committee, NDU, Wilberforce Island (2007 – 2009); Member: Committee of Modification of Rules & Guidelines, NDU (2007); Member: Faculty Academic Content Review Committee, NDU (2007); Member: Post – Graduate School Board, NDU (2011 – 2013); Ag. Head of Department of Chemical/Petroleum Engineering, NDU (2009 – 2015); Member: Faculty Appraisal Committee, NDU (2009 – Date); Member: COREN, Accreditation team to FUPRE, Warri (2014); Member: COREN, Accreditation team to Madonna University, Enugu (2015); Member: COREN, Accreditation team to Uniport, Port Harcourt (2017); Chairperson, NDU Portable Water Project (2013-2017); Ag. Dean, Faculty of Engineering, NDU (2015-2017); Member: Departmental Chemical Process Design Team, (2019 – Date).

In 2001, She was awarded with the Bayelsa state Fellowship Award while in December 2020, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Yenagoa Branch found her worthy to be awarded having distinguished herself in her career and contributions towards development of society and Engineering. Also, in 2021, the Association of Professional Women Engineers in Nigeria (APWEN) Yenagoa Chapter awarded her with an award as the first female Professor of Chemical Engineering in Bayelsa State.

Engr. Prof. Rhoda Habor Gumus is a Pastor with Greater Evangelism World Crusade, Ministry and she is blessed with wonderful Children.

Mohammed Haruna was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, on September 22, 1951. He had his primary school education at Tudun Wada Junior Primary School, Kano (1957 to 1960) and Kuka Primary School, Kano (1961 to 1964). He attended Government College, Bida, his home town, between 1965 and 1969, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, between 1971 and 1975, Glasgow College of Technology, Scotland, in 1979/1980, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1983/1984 and Harvard Advanced Management Programme in 1995.

He worked in New Nigerian Newspapers Company Ltd. between 1976 and 1989 where he rose from a cub reporter to managing director. He was co-founder and chief executive of the rested Citizen news magazine between 1990 and 1994.

He served in the military administration of General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar as his chief press secretary between October 1998 and May 1999. He taught in the Mass Communications Department of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as a Senior Lecturer between 2008 and 2014.

Haruna was a political columnist between 1978 and 2016 in several publications including New Nigerian, Today, Trust, Nation, Gamji.com and Newsdiaryonline.

In recent years he has delivered papers on Politics, Journalism and Mass Communication as a resource person at seminars, lectures and workshops organised by universities and institutions like the Nigerian Press Council, the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Haruna is a Fellow of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Guild of Editors and African Center for Democratic Governance.

May Agbamuche-Mbu is a seasoned legal practitioner with over three decades of experience working with diverse clients in both the Public and Private sector. May hails from Delta State though she was born in Kano where she attended St. Louis Secondary School, later graduating from the University of Ife (Now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1984 with an LLB in Law.

After her call to the Bar in 1985, she attended the College of Law, London and qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. May has an LLM with specialisation in Commercial and Corporate Law from Queen Mary and Westfield College, London and completed two postgraduate degree programs in International Dispute Resolution and International Business Law respectively.

May is also an expert in Alternative Dispute Resolution and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of the United Kingdom Nigeria branch where she has served as Secretary to the Institute.

Between March 2010 and November 2011 May served on the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee (PPAC) as the sole solicitor, evaluating an extensive nationwide portfolio of major unfinished public projects in Nigeria and in March 2016, May was further appointed a member of the Ministerial Committee set up to prepare ‘The Road Map for the Solid Minerals Sector’.

Before her appointment as a National Commissioner for INEC, May was the managing partner of her law firm in Lagos, Norfolk Partners and also the editor of THISDAY LAWYER, a weekly legal pullout in one of the nation’s most widely read newspapers. From January 2014 to September 2016, May published 120 legal editorials under her column LEGAL EAGLE. Her consistent exposure to public affairs/related projects put her in a unique position to build a reputable body of commentary and expert opinion in many specialised areas. Her work remains a source of public advocacy on many national and international issues.

Festus Okoye Esq. is a Barrister, Solicitor and Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) from the University of Jos (1984) and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985. Between 1993 and 1994 he undertook a Graduate Program in International Human Rights Law at the University of Minnesota as a Hubert Humphrey Fellow (HHF).

He served as General Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) from 1982-1983, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Kaduna Branch in 1997 and was elected as the National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association in 1997. In 2006, he attended a course on Democracy and Elections: Challenges for the 21^st Century (June 5-June 15, 2006) at the American University Centre for Democracy and Election Management.

Between 2002 and 2006, Mr. Okoye served as the Chair of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a coalition of Nigerian civil society groups instrumental to ensuring credible elections. He also served as Executive Director of Human Rights Monitor (HRM) and the National Coordinator of the Independent Election Monitoring Group (IEMG) between 2006 and 2018.

He served as the Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association Human Rights Institute in 2011 and as its Alternate Chairman in 2013. He also served as Alternate Chairman, NBA Election Working Group and as the Chair of the NBA Election Working Group and a Consultant to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) between 2016 and 2018.

He was a member of the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) in 2007 and served as a Civil Society Delegate to the 2014 National Conference. He also served in the INEC Committee on the Review of Judgments on Election Petition Cases (2013) and on the Committee on Management of Election Petitions (2015).  Okoye also served in the General Abisoye Civil Disturbances Jos Panel (2008).In 1992 he received the Human Rights Watch Award in the United States for courageous work in researching, monitoring and documenting human rights violations in Nigeria.

 In 2009 he received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) Nigeria; and award for mentoring young leaders from Coalitions for Change (C4C) and the Excellence award from the Nigerian Bar Association in 2004.

Presently he serves as a Human Rights Ambassador of the National Human Rights Commission.

He maintained a weekly column known as “Hard Choices” in the New Telegraph Newspaper in Nigeria and contributes opinion articles to Nigerian newspapers and magazines up to 2018.

He specializes in Justice Sector Reforms; Constitutional and Electoral Matters; Public Interest Law; Conflict, Violence and Security.

He was appointed a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in July 2018 and is currently the Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee. He supervises Anambra, Benue and Enugu State.

PROFILE OF DR. BABA BILA

NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMISSIONER

1958. Baba Bila was born on the 9^th February, 1958. He hailed from Damagum, Fune Local Government Area of Yobe state and he attended Yerwa Central primary school, Maiduguri. Comprehensive secondary school, Mubi, Adamawa state (1976). Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe, Gombe State (1979), University of Maiduguri (1986); University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri (1991); Lagos State University. Ojo (2000); Usmanu-Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (2012).

He has impactful achievements in remuneration and financial management, public policy analysis, as well as human capital management built on qualification of B.Sc. (Accountancy). Master of Public Administration (Public Administration), Master of business Administration (Financial Management), and Doctor of Philosophy (Management Studies). He is a Fellow of the Association of National Accountant of Nigeria (ANAN), Fellow of the Association of chartered System Accountant United State and Member of the chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He also attended numerous courses and trainings UK, USA, CANADA, Singapore and Europe. He also had financial decision-making training in the New York world Trade center of pace University, Leadership training University Dublin, Ireland. He also has served in many states as national committees including committee on planning infrastructure for Nigeria for 30 years (2012-2042), committee on Total Radar Coverage of the Nigerian Airspace.

Started work with Borno state ministry of Education before he was posted to the Borno state water Board, Maiduguri. The 1991 creation of the states necessitated his deployment to Yobe state water Board, Damaturu. He moved on to the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA), Ikeja on transfer of service. The merger of (FCAA and NAA in 1995 to form Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria) took him to Federal Airport Authority (AGM), Ikeja, while the creation of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Ikeja got him deployed to NAMA as GM and later as Director. He was the pioneer Director Administration and Finance of the Agricultural Research council of Nigeria, Abuja. He also had a stint as a senior Lecturer at the Yobe state University Damaturu and worked at University of Benin, Benin city As Bursar. He has written a number of journal, articles and other papers.

Professor Sani Muhammad Adam was born on Wednesday 2^nd, March 1966 in Jos, Plateau State.  He is from Baraki Ladi L.G.A.  Professor Sani Muhammed Adam SAN was appointed, confirmed, and sworn in on 15^th September 2021 as INEC National Electoral Commissioner representing North Central Geopolitical Zone respectively. He is a Fellow Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS).

Professor Sani Muhammad Adam was preferred and elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on the 14^th of December 2020.  He was appointed a Professor of Law in November 2013 by the Nigeria Police Academy Wudil, Kano State.  He was assessed externally and awarded the Professorial Chair, November 2014.  Later in December 2016, he was appointed and confirmed as Professor of Environmental and Planning Laws by the Council and Senate of the University of Abuja, with effect from October 2015, his parent University, as he had been on secondment to set up the Law Faculty at the Police Academy.  He graduated top of his class and won the prestigious Justice Muhammad Bello, the Chief Justice of Nigeria award as the best graduating student of the Faculty of Law Bayero University Kano in 1991.  He graduated with a Second Class Upper Division.  He proceeded to the Nigerian Law School Lagos in 1991 and graduated in 1992 with a Second Class Division. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in December 1992. He served the mandatory NYSC Scheme in Kaduna State as a Legal Officer to Kaura L.G.A between 1992 and 1993. He proceeded to obtained LL.M and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Jos in 1996 and 2006 respectively.  He has taught in the University of Jos, University of Abuja and the Nigeria Police Academy spanning a period of twenty (24) years without any blemish.  He was also a visiting Professor at the Baze University, Abuja. He was the Head of the Department on Private and Islamic Law, Faculty of Law in University of Abuja.  He has been an external assessor/Examiner to the National Defense College, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and Nasarawa State University.

Professor Sani Adam was a Consultant to the World Bank on Land Administration in Nigeria.  He was a resource person to the Federal Ministry of Environment in the drafting of the NESREA Rules and Regulations in various sectors of the Environment.  In February 2016, he was appointed by the Chairman EFCC to draft the new curriculum for all the three segments of the EFCC Academy in Karu, FCT Abuja, Nigeria.

Professor Sani M. Adam is a re-known specialist in Environmental and Planning Laws, Climate change Law and Litigation: Financial crimes: Cyber-Crime and Cyber Security: Maritime Law and Security; Marine Pollution; Environment and Security Studies; Military Laws; Human Rights Laws and Public International Laws.  He specializes in Equity and Trust Laws, Laws of Torts, Treaties, International Trade and Procurement Law.

He was appointed the Dean of Law, and Chairman Committee of Deans and Directors at the Nigeria Police Academy Wudil, Kano, Nigeria.

He was appointed as the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration in University of Abuja on 19^th February 2019 and he has acted a few times as an Acting Vice Chancellor University of Abuja between March and April 2019.  He is an erudite and versatile scholar of repute.  He was appointed external assessor by the National Defense College, Abuja, 2012 and has been consistent to date. He is an academic, Legal Practitioner, Legal Consultant and a researcher.  He practices Law and is a member of the Unity Bar Abuja.  Professor Sani M. Adam is well-travelled and well-published both at home and abroad.  He is versatile and resourceful.  He is married with children.

Prof. Kunle Ajayi is a Professor of Political Science at the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, with a diverse area of specialization which includes; International Relations, Peace, Security and Conflict Studies, Gender and Feminist Studies and Good Governance.

Prof. Ajayi hails from Ijan-Ekiti, in Gbonyin (Aiyekere) Local Government Area of Ekiti State. He attended St. Paul’s Anglican Primary School, Ijan-Ekiti and had his West African School Certificate at the Anglican Grammar School, Iju-Itaogbolu, Ondo State.

He had a professional training as an Environmental Health Officer at the School of Health Technology, Akure and consequently worked briefly as a Health Educator in the Ministry of Health. Afterwards, he proceeded to obtain his First Degree in Political Science at the Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti (Now Ekiti State University, EKSU) where he graduated as the Best Student. After his First Degree, he attended the University of Ibadan, Ibadan where he obtained his M.Sc. and PhD Degrees respectively.

Prof. Ajayi started his academic career at the Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti (Now Ekiti State University, EKSU) in 1990 as a Graduate Assistant and rose through the ranks to become a Professor in 2006. In the course of his illustrious career, Prof. Ajayi has won many academic awards including the; Advanced Fellowship Scholarships at the Institute of Child and Youth Studies, Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Dakar, Senegal, and the Center for Women Studies and Gender Relations, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. He had also won the TETFUND Research Awards.

While in the University, he served in various administrative positions some of which include: Head of Department, Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Dean of Student Affairs: Director of Programmes, Chairman of Committees, Member of Appointment and Promotion Committee; and Member of the Governing Council of the University.

Outside of the University, he has served as the National University Commission’s (NUC) Accreditor to many Universities. He also has served as External Examiner to a number of Universities such as, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Ibadan (UI), University of Ilorin, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, The Nigerian Police Academy, Kano, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and others. Apart from Prof. Ajayi’s contribution to the NUC, he is also an Assessor of the Professorial cadre to many Universities including; University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Covenant University, Landmark University, Adekunle Ajasin University, to mention a few.

Prof. Kunle Ajayi is a prolific writer and has published a number of works on Nigerian Government, Politics and Election Administration in Nigeria. These include; The Concept of First Lady and Politics in Nigeria (2010), “Election in Nigeria and the Challenges of the 2007 Elections” (2008); “Is This Democracy? The Leadership Crisis in Africa” (2007); “Security Forces, Electoral Conduct and the 2003 General Elections in Nigeria” (2006); “Economic Reforms and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria” (2006); Perspectives on Democracy and Development in Post-Military Nigeria (2004); “Electoral Annulment and Violence: Conflict of Military and Civil Societies in Nigeria” (1998) and “The 1993 Presidential Election and Nation Building in Nigeria” (1995).

Prior to his appointment as a National Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Prof. Ajayi has participated in Election Administration and Research in Nigeria and as well as at the ECOWAS level. In Nigeria, he served as the State Coordinator of the “Study of the June 21, 2014 Governorship Election in Ekiti State”. A research project sponsored by The Electoral Institute of INEC, Abuja, April, 2014-2016. At the regional level, he had served as a Resource Person to ECOWAS on “Political Parties and Internal Party Democracy in ECOWAS Member-States”.

In the course of his academic career, Prof. Ajayi has visited numerous countries some of which include; Canada, Britain, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Ghana, Senegal and Ethiopia.

Currently, Prof. Kunle Ajayi is the National Commissioner of INEC supervising Ogun, Ondo and Osun States. He is also the Chairman of The Outreach and Partnership Committee of INEC.

Prof. Ajayi is happily married with successful and responsible children and promising grandchildren.