The African Risk Capacity is a Specialised Agency of the African Union that provides African sovereigns with capacity building services for early warning, contingency planning and risk finance towards protecting the livelihoods of their vulnerable citizens against the impact of natural disasters through home-grown, innovative, cost-effective, timely and sustainable solutions.

In this position, Moghalu will be leading efforts to ensure that the work of ARC in responding to the challenges of climate change and natural disaster risk management is strategically communicated to the Member States and the international community in a way that secures commitment and boosts resource mobilisation.

Prior to this position, Moghalu, at various times, served as the Regional Head of Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) for the Southeast and Delta states in Nigeria; as well the Head of the Corporate Communication Division at its headquarters in Abuja.

Before joining NEXIM Bank, Moghalu had more than 10 years career with various United Nations agencies, including the ILO and the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Chinedu Moghalu holds a M.Sc. degree in Communications for Development, and other degrees in Political Science, and Law from University of Nigeria, Nsukka and University of Lagos, in Nigeria.

Moghalu is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, International Bar Association, International Public Relations Association (IPRA), and sits on the Board of the Chigari Foundation.

The post Nigeria’s Chinedu Moghalu to head Africa Risk Capacity, UN WFP Communication and advocacy appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

He died in Lagos on Friday, aged 84, according to the Secretary General of the YCE, Dr Kunle Olajide.

The prominent jurist, bencher and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association took over from Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo, who died last year.

Sofola, who was born on Sept. 29, 1934, was the first black to be appointed the Secretary of the International Bar Association (IBA) and was a prominent member of the Ikenne Social Circle and the Obara Ruling House for the Alakenne Royalty.

Olajide told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone on yesterday that the YCE was grieved and shocked by Sofola’s death, who he said, was not ill or bedridden.

“I spoke with him few days ago, congratulating him on the appointment of his son as a high judge and we were planning an event to host him.

“The icon is leaving us at a critical time particularly in Yorubaland as the country prepares for the 2019 general elections.

“He was an intelligent man of Yoruba extraction and the vacuum he left behind will be difficult to fill.

“It is great shock to me and YCE; a strong advocate and believer in true federalism, brilliant lawyer and defender of human rights and democracy,” he said.

Olajide, who said he was leading a delegation of YCE headquartered in Ibadan, to the Ikenne home of the Sofolas in Ogun, added: “His death is terrifying.”

He condoled with the immediate family, Ikenne people, Ogun State and the Yoruba on his demise and prayed that may Allah grant his soul rest.

The Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has commiserated with the family of the late Sofola.

Amosun, at the family home of the late Senior Advocate described him as an icon, who served his community, town, Ogun State and the country in so many capacities meritoriously.

He noted that the deceased lived a good life and should not be mourned, but rather celebrated, enjoining his widow and family members to be grateful for the life well spent.

He prayed that Allah will grant him Aljannah Fridaous.

One of the children of the deceased, Shina Sofola, who is also a lawyer, on behalf of the family, appreciated the governor for creating time out of his busy schedule to honour the late Sofola.

The post YCE president, Idowu Sofola dies at 84 appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Until his appointment as SGF, Boss Gida Mustapha was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National inland waterways Authority (NIWA).

He is a lawyer, management consultant, politician, businessman and boardroom guru of considerable repute.

Academic Background
Born in Adamawa State, Mustapha attended Hong Secondary School, in Hong Adamawa state and North East College of Arts and Sciences Maiduguri Borno state, crowning it with WASC and HSC in 1976.

He earned his Bachelor of Law (LL.B) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 and was called to bar in 1980. From 1980 to 1981, Mustapha did the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) – Directorate of Legal of legal Services at the Army Headquarters and was in charge of review of Court Marshall Proceedings.

Call to Service
After his National Service, he joined Sotesa Nigeria Limited, an Italian consultancy firm, as an Executive Director in charge of Administration, leaving in 1983 to join the prestigious law firm Messrs Onagoruwa & Co in Lagos.

With his law practice fully taken off, Mustapha was appointed Principal Counsel in the firm Messrs Mustapha & Associates, His legal interests and expertise included privatization commercialization and Liberalization of Public Companies/Corporate and Government Parastatals.

He was also involved in preparation of varied and miscellaneous banking documents such as Debentures, Guarantees, Mortgages, Bonds and Loan Syndications.

Career Highlights
One of Mustapha’s career highlights was his appointment as a member of Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF), serving meritoriously from 2000 to 2007.

At the PTF, he was responsible for production of an up-t0-date comprehensive project and programme report, including location, coverage and whether performed, performing or abandoned production of final report of Assets and Liabilities, examination of the Administrative structure and cost effectiveness of pf Projects and Services among other duties.

Mustapha also played key leadership roles at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) serving as Social Secretary and Chairman at the Yola branch.

After his stint at the PTF in 2007, Mustapha was appointed Principal Partner of the law firm, Adroit Lex. His law practice and the burning desire to serve the larger society conspired to attract him into politics, at various times, he was member Federal Republic of Nigeria Constituent Assembly (1988-1989), Chairman People’s Solidarity Party-Gongola State (1989-1990), state chairman, Social Democratic Party-Gongola State (1990-1991); he was even a gubernatorial candidate for SDP in Adamawa state in 1991.

He was the Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria from 2010 to 2013. In 2007, he again played a prominent role, serving as the Deputy Director General of the party’s Presidential campaign Organization. His services remained in high demand after the fusing of CAN joined forces with other parties to form the All Progressive Congress (APC). He was a member of NCC and Secretary APC Presidential Campaign Organization Mobilization (2015) and member, APC Transition Committee (2015). He is also a member, APC Board of Trustees.

In addition to the NBA, the new SGF is a member of various professional bodies including African Bar Association (ABA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association, International Bar Association (IBA) and Human Rights Institute (HRI). But Mustapha’s accomplishments go beyond politics and the Bar; he is a respected boardroom guru, having been appointed into the boards of several companies in the manufacturing financial services as well as oil and gas sectors. He is the National Vice President, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship international Nigeria.

While at NIWA, his address to management staff on assuming office set the tone, style and direction of his administration. He stressed teamwork and the need to focus on the Authority’s vision and mission. Married with children, Mustapha enjoys golf, lawn tennis, travelling, documentary films, charity work and meeting people.

The post Boss Mustapha: Profiling the new SGF appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Mrs. Ufot, one of Nigeria’s most experienced legal practitioners with more than 26 years’ experience in commercial litigation at trial and appellate levels, having been admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1989 and then admitted to the Inner Bar as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in April 2009.

She also qualified as a Chartered Arbitrator at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London, in 2003.

Mrs Ufot is an internationally recognised expert in commercial dispute arbitration, particularly in the area of international arbitration, and was appointed member of the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Court of Arbitration, Paris, in 2006.

She later became one of eight Global Vice-Presidents of the ICC Commission on Arbitration, in 2014.

Mrs Ufot was appointed to the Council of the ICC Institute of World Business Law by the Global Chairman of ICC, Harold (Terry) McGraw, in Paris on 22nd April 2016.

The ICC Institute of World Business Law draws together the finest legal minds to strengthen the links between international businesses and the legal profession.

Mrs Ufot has been a member of the council of the Legal Practice Division (LPD) of the International Bar Association (IBA), from 2006 to 2010, and is currently serving her second term as a member of the Nominations Committee of the IBA.

She has also served as Vice-Chair of the Arbitration Committee of the IBA and has authored numerous publications on the subject of international arbitration.

Notable posts she has held include being a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Chair of its Rules and Adjudication Committee.

Mrs Ufot has served as a Non-Executive Director of several well-known companies including: Chevron Oil Nigeria PLC; MRS Oil Nigeria PLC, and SO&U Ltd, a leading advertising and media relations company.

Mrs Ufot is the Managing Partner of Dorothy Ufot & Co, a firm of legal practitioners and Arbitrators, which she founded in 1994.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, founder and Chairman of Dangote Cement said he’s proud that Dorothy Ufot has become the first woman to serve on Dangote Cement’s Board.

“She brings formidable legal skills and business insights that will strongly enhance the Company’s governance. Her appointment represents a positive step forward in our goal to improve the diversity and functioning of our Board,” Dangote said.

Follow Us

The post Dangote Cement appoints Udeme Ufot, non-executive director appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Prosecutors promptly requested a similar ruling in the separate case of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who had like Ruto been granted blanket permission to be absent for the bulk of his trial.

Ruto and Kenyatta are charged with crimes against humanity in orchestrating a wave of violence after an election in 2007, but the cases have fed a growing sense of grievance among Africans, who say the court is picking unfairly on their continent.

Kenya is both East Africa’s largest economy and an ally of the West against radical Islam in the region, especially neighboring Somalia. Ruto and Kenyatta say at least one of them must be in Kenya at all times to ensure it is properly governed.

The decision to excuse them had promised to ease some of the African resentment. But ICC President Sang-Hyun Song ruled on Friday that Ruto’s absence “can only take place in exceptional circumstances and must not become the rule”.

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda then asked the court also to set aside a decision to excuse Kenyatta – who has been urged by the AU to boycott the court – from continuous presence at his trial, which starts on November 12.

Clair Duffy, a senior lawyer at the International Bar Association, noted after the Ruto decision that “the application of identical laws arises in respect of Kenyatta’s case”.

The post-election violence killed 1,200 people and uprooted tens of thousands from their homes in early 2008.

In practice, Ruto could still stay away from court for much of his trial, but judges will need to authorize each absence. They promptly did so on Friday, giving him permission to miss the first three days of next week, after his lawyers said he was needed at home to fill in for Kenyatta, who will be in Rwanda.

Ruto’s trial had already been adjourned last month to let him return home to deal with the aftermath of an Islamist militant raid on a Nairobi shopping mall that killed 67 people, including Kenyatta’s nephew.

Ruto’s lawyer, Karim Khan, pledged that Ruto would continue to cooperate with the court. But a political ally of Ruto’s in Nairobi condemned the ruling as “political”.

“I will bring a bill in parliament next week to facilitate our plan to disengage (from the ICC),” said Aden Duale, the majority leader in Kenya’s parliament.

The AU has said it will ask the U.N. Security Council to order Kenyatta’s trial to be deferred.

U.N. Security Council envoys have said they will consider a request, but note that the Council turned one down in 2011, and also rejected a request in May for the two cases to be terminated because it had no such prerogative.

A diplomat with a senior Council member state said that, when the issue was discussed informally in May, eight members were opposed to deferral of the cases and the other seven were more sympathetic. The diplomat said the situation probably had not changed since then.

President Macky Sall of Senegal added his voice on Friday to a chorus of African criticism of the ICC, which has charged only Africans in its first decade of existence.

He told the Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung that the ICC’s charges threatened to “decapitate” Kenya.

For his part, Ruto said he would fight to clear his name despite Friday’s setback.

“Circumstances not withstanding we will triumph because the truth, the law and most of all God is on our side. Be blessed,” he said on his official Twitter feed.

The post Ruto, Kenyan deputy president must attend trial, ICC insists appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.