Senate President’s Aide, 5 Others Bag Honorary Doctorates, Inducted Fellows
By Hillary Asemota
The Special Assistant (Press) to the President of the Senate, Ezrel Tabiowo, and five other notable Nigerians have been conferred with a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration (Honoris Causa) by the Africa Institute for Public Administration (AIPA), Ghana, in partnership with the London Bridge Business School, United Kingdom.
The other honorees are Prof. Chijioke Nwaozuzu, Director, Emerald Energy Institute (Petroleum and Energy Economics, Policy and Strategic Studies), University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Samuel Barko Lar, former General Manager, Nigeria Airways, Dr. Lami Onayi Ahmed, Director and Board Member, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Anthony Ibezi, Member, House of Representatives and Dr. Eric Mekwuye, a Hospitality Specialist.
Tabiowo, alongside the other five honorees of the 10th class were also certified as Leadership Solution Strategy Experts, and inducted Fellows of AIPA at the 10th fellowship induction and honorary investiture ceremony which held after a three-day Transformational Leadership Conference organized by the Institute in Abuja.
The investiture of the honorees was sequel to the approval of the Governing Council and Academic Advisory Board of Africa’s premier Institute for Public Administration (AIPA).
An astute administrator and media expert, Tabiowo, has held several leadership positions and is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, Nigeria, Fellow of the Institute of Management Specialists, United Kingdom, Fellow of the Centre for Public Service Productivity and Development (CeProd), and Fellow of the West African Society for Communication and Administration (WASCA).
A member of the African Business Club, he is also a Certified Management Consultant of the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC), and recipient of the Institute of Management Specialists’ Award for Leadership Excellence.
Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute, Dr. Ben Nwankwo, in a speech delivered during the investiture ceremony, urged members of the 10th class to be good ambassadors of the institute.
“We are admitting you into the Fellowship of Africa’s premier and apex professional Institute in the education and practice of Public Administration as the 10th class.
“First and seventh classes took place between Accra, London, Dubai, Abuja and Kigali, in a curriculum schematic that is a mix of theory and practice.
“Our learning partners have graciously consented to further admit few of the members of the class who have track records of service, achievements, and moral rectitude into the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Administration and Business Administration to strengthen your spark to lead in government, society or business.
“By virtue of your fellowship induction and other investiture, you have become alumni of the Institute, our role models and ambassadors. We charge you to show the light that others may follow”, Dr. Nwankwo said.
The Africa Institute for Public Administration is the continent’s professional education platform that seeks to innovate and reshape the operationalization and management of government systems in countries of Africa through conducted research and survey regarding policies.
AIPA is affiliated to the European Association for Public Administration Accreditation, The Netherlands, International Public Policy Association, France; the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA), Brussels Belgium; and the American Society for Public Administration, Washington DC.