A B OKAURU
21/05/2024
By Oshiomhole R I
Front-page News
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, Governor Abdul Rahman has praised its retiring
Director General, A. B. Okauru, Esq for his diligence,honesty, loyalty and professionalism, while announcing his painful voluntary disengagement from the powerful Forum.
According to a statement made available by Hon Solomon Taiwo, the Senior Special Assistant SSA to the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, Mr Okauru’s voluntary departure was confirmed by the Forum’s Chairman, Governor Abdul Rahman of Kwara State. “After a lengthy conversation with him, I reluctantly accepted his request to end his full-time engagement with the Forum. However, he will remain with the NGF until 1 July 2024, when his pre-retirement leave will end.” Abdul Rahman disclosed.
“Mr Okauru has served the NGF for an unbroken 15 years. He has served with diligence, professionalism, honesty, loyalty and total commitment. We are incredibly proud of the work he did here and the height he and his team have taken the Forum. Under his leadership, the Secretariat, the administrative arm of the NGF, evolved into a strong and credible organisation. He led his team to expand engagement with development partners and federal and legislative arms of government while also ensuring that states’ priorities were reflected and met. We are grateful for Mr Okauru’s service and wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”the NGF Chairman declared.
In a separate reaction, Hon. Solomon Taiwo, hailed the seasoned administrator of Igarra Royal Family’s fifteen untainted years at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. “A B Okauru is a developmental colossus, an embodiment of shining light and a pace setter. His meritorious sojourn as NGF Director General is a testimony to his leadership acumen which has greatly benefited Akoko-Edo ” Taiwo noted.
Speaking further, Hon Solomon Taiwo expantiated, “As NGF Director-General, Mr Okauru empowered countless youths in Akoko-Edo local government area by facilitating gainful employment to Akoko-Edo sons and daughters in Federal establishment, offered scholarships to indigents/underprivileged students in foreign and Nigeria universities, he runs regular Medical care programmes for the aged and those in need of medical care. He has also provided streetlights to his community. These achievements, I can boldly testify to, having known and followed him since 2002 couple with the manner in which the Chairman of Nigeria Governor’s Forum, Governor AbdulRazaq AbudulRahman of Kwara eulogized him.. A befitting reception awaits him any moment from July 1st,2024 when his retirement takes effect.”
Mr Okauru was appointed in January 2009 to restructure and transform the Nigeria’s 36 States Governors Forum’s secretariat into a non-partisan association and policy hub. Under his leadership, the NGF evolved into a strong and credible organisation, providing administrative and policy support for governance at the sub-national levels.
Before joining the NGF, Mr Okauru was a foundation management staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and subsequently became the pioneer director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) untill November 2008.
He worked as a management trainee at Arthur Andersen & Co., Nigeria, and later as an operations analyst and an e-business analyst at IBM in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, USA.
Mr Okauru earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics (Second Class Upper Division) from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1984. He subsequently studied Law at the University of Ibadan and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989. He also has a joint Master’s degree in Business Administration and Information Science from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in the United States and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Havard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
He returned to Nigeria after a successful career in the United States of America in 2002 to help nurture Nigeria’s nascent democracy. He contested for the Federal House of Representatives to represent Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency. A victim of “fix it” political machinery, he retreated to strategized before being appointed to help establish the Anti-corruption Agency, the EFCC.
Copyright @2024 Front-page News
