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. Please, Visit his profile at
Detailed Biography of Jaja Anucha Wachuku.
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.
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. The Permanent Delegation to UNESCO is a diplomatic 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.
Earlier, 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.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL VISITS NIGERIA:
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From 6 to 9 January, 2009, UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura
went on an official visit to Nigeria. The visit is reported to be his
last to Nigeria as UNESCO Director-General because his term ends in
November 2009.
News and pictures of the Director-General of UNESCO's activities in
Nigeria can be seen on our site by going to the following link:
UNESCO Director-General Visits Nigeria
UNESCO AND NIGERIA SIGN INSTITUTE AGREMENT:
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Paris, France: Wednesday 8 April, 2009: Nigeria's Honourable Minister
of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation: Senator Bello J. Gada
and Koichiro Matsuura: Director-General of United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO] signed an agreement
formally establishing the earlier approved and inaugurated Institute
for African Culture and International Understanding [IACIU] located
in Abeokuta, Ogun State - as a Category Two Centre within the global
framework of UNESCO's mandate.
For more information on this IACIU Agreement signed by Nigeria and
UNESCO, please, go to the following official web page:
UNESCO and Nigeria Sign Category 2 IACIU Establishment Agreement
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