On 1 October 1960, Nigeria became independent. On that historic day, Jaja Anucha Wachuku (1918-1996), first Speaker of the Nigerian Parliament -ie- House of Representatives received Nigeria's Instrument of Independence - Freedom Charter; from Princess Alexandra of Kent, the Queen of England's representative at the independence ceremonies. And on a 1960 United States tour as House Speaker, Jaja Wachuku was presented with the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Blue Seal and Key to the City of Atlanta Georgia. Subsequently, Wachuku became First Ambassador of Nigeria to the United Nations - hoisting Nigeria's flag as the 99th member of the United Nations on 7 October, 1960, First African Chairman of a United Nations Conciliation Commission (the Congo Conciliation Commission), First Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations, later External Affairs, etc. Commendably, Jaja Wachuku was inspiringly instrumental to Nigeria's UNESCO Membership:

Six weeks later, on 14 November 1960, Nigeria became the 58th Member State of UNESCO. Since then, Nigeria has continued to maintain its presence at UNESCO. Professor Michael Omolewa is the present Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. On 29 September 2003, Nigeria's Ambassador Omolewa was elected the 32nd Session President of UNESCO's General Conference for the following two years.

The official Nigerian body that deals with UNESCO is the Federal Ministry of Education. Also, to support the Ministry's UNESCO work, the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO was inaugurated in 1963. The Commission has its secretariat within the Federal Ministry of Education: Its membership is made up of Nigerians with relevant expertise in the fields of UNESCO's competence. Significantly, the Commision serves as an advisory team to the government of Nigeria on all issues concerning UNESCO.

Accordingly, the Honourable Minister for Education is the President of the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO. The Minister is also responsible for Nigeria's relations with UNESCO. Nigeria's present Minister of Education is Dr. Igwe Aja-Nwachuku. Accordingly, the Permanent Delegation to UNESCO is an emanation from Nigeria's Ministry of Education.

Nigeria and UNESCO Presently:
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In 1999, Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo initiated a Special Plan of Action to resestablish and solidify cooperation between UNESCO and Nigeria. At its November, 1999 meeting, UNESCO's General Conference adopted a resolution on "Cooperation with the Federal Republic of Nigeria" - (30C/Resolution 56). By this important resolution, UNESCO's Director-General was requested to:

"take all appropriate measures to increase cooperation with Nigeria in the framework of the implementation of the Programme and Budget approved by the General Conference at its 30th Session and through the mobilization of extra budgetary resources."

On 8 February 2000, President Olusegun Obasanjo and Koichiro Matsuura: UNESCO's Director-General, signed an aide-memoire. Therein, they expressed their commitment to the renewal and reinforcement of cooperation between Nigeria and UNESCO. Both President Obasanjo and Director-General Matsuura upheld their agreement to collaborate in the context of the Special Plan of Action and Resolution 56 of the General Conference's November 1999 30th Session.

In signing the aide-memoire, President Obasanjo called on UNESCO to play an important role in the efforts being made by the Nigerian government to establish a worthy and progressive education policy. President Obasanjo noted that Nigeria recently reviewed its education policy and prepared a comprehensive literacy development programme with Universal Basic Education as its marching foundation. Unequivocally, the President and his team have decided to rise-up-to the challenge of achieving humane progress for all the people of Nigeria: At the core of this challenge will be a thriving and benefitial Universal Basic Education system.

Surely, UNESCO will cooperate with Nigerian authorities in their quest to build national capacity for planning and implementing the reforms necessary to ensure good, quality basic education. As the United Nations Specialized Agency responsible for global education, UNESCO is also expected to provide extensive support to Nigeria in terms of analysing the country's educational sector standing. The organization will indeed provide policy based strategies and logistics to help revive the quality and delivery of educational services at all levels within Nigeria.

In the field of technical and vocational education plus training, action is underway for the assessment of the current state of the specialized Nigerian institutions responsible for these fields. At the same time, projections are being made concerning the human resource requirements of the formal and informal sectors of the economy. Based on these assignments, a well articulated programme in technical and vocational education and training founded on the real needs of Nigeria will be put in place.

In assisting and sustaining Nigeria's progress with its education system, UNESCO will make creative use of the valuable techniques and opportunities offered by the revolutionary world of information and communication technologies. By helping to improve and sustain Nigeria's education system, UNESCO will be in line with the April 1999 recommendation of the Second International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education held in Seoul, South Korea. Financial support from the Japanese Funds-in-Trust will cover this expenditure within UNESCO's budget. Also, as part of its cooperative contribution towards helping Nigeria, UNESCO will assist in recruiting international consultants, prouring training equipment and providing support for activities. The organization will additionally establish effective mechanisms to monitor progress at every stage of Nigeria's educational reformation.

The aide-memoire also foresees cooperation in the fields of basic science, research and science policy. In these fields, consultations between Nigeria and UNESCO are in progress. In the area of policy and strategic advice, UNESCO is again cooperating with Nigeria to develop science based programmes: These programmes will help Nigeria integrate scientific engineering and technological creativity into the country's public investment initiatives.

UNESCO's support, spread over a period of three to four years, will focus on policy logistics and strategic advice. Specific objectives identified by Nigerian authorities Include:

• Elaboration of pilot educational programmes.
• Formulation of a new national science policy in line with the country's democratic process.
• Assistance in developing a national information and communication structure.
• Assistance in designing a medium term plan to support selected macro-economic objectives with emphasis on poverty reduction.

Recently, President Obasanjo and UNESCO's Director-General, Koichiro Matsuura discussed the setting up of a virtual library for higher education in Nigeria. President Obasanjo's proposal concerning the virtual library is being examined by UNESCO. Consequently, Mr. Matsuura expressed UNESCO's willingness to conduct, in collaboration with the relevant Nigerian institutions, a feasibility study. Also, a working programme will be developed in readiness for the implementation of this virtual library project.

NIGERIA'S UNESCO CHAIRS:
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Currently, Nigeria has three UNESCO Chairs located at the department of Adult Education, University of Ibadan, National Open University and the Chair on Culture located at the University of Port Harcourt. Additional ones are being processed for the Federal University of Technology, Yola; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Bayero University, Kano; and University of Jos, Plateau State.

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