Jobs/Appointments
Uzodinma Iweala to Step Down as Africa Center CEO December 2024
By Adedapo Adesanya
Award-winning writer, filmmaker, and medical doctor, Dr Uzodinma Iweala, will step down as the chief executive officer of the Africa Center in December 2024 after seven years at the helm of affairs of the institution.
The Africa Center is a multidisciplinary 501c3 nonprofit institution helping to shape a vision of Africa’s future. Serving as a gateway to engagement with contemporary Africa, and under Dr Iweala’s leadership evolved from a visual arts museum into an interdisciplinary centre with an expanded mission that includes culture and policy programming that aims to change narratives and create new opportunities for Africa and the Diaspora.
As a platform for the exchange of ideas around culture, business, and policy as related to the African continent, the Africa Center advances thought and action around Africa’s global influence.
Dr Iwaela, the son of the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and former Nigerian Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, also led the Africa Center at Aliko Dangote Hall when it first opened its doors to the public in 2019, swiftly becoming a thriving cultural hub in Harlem.
The Center has since produced more than 280 programs across its thematic areas of culture, policy, and business related to contemporary African life. The Center has welcomed more than 177,000 visitors to contemporary cultural exhibitions, art installations, performances, film screenings, author talks, policy forums, and a myriad of special events, including Harlem Day celebrations.
Speaking on his departure, Dr Iweala said, “After seven years of dedicated service to The Africa Center, I have decided that it is time to turn the page and write my next chapter,”
“My journey at The Africa Center has been incredibly rewarding, not just professionally but personally, as our team has worked tirelessly to fulfil and expand our mission. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, from opening our doors to hosting programs and exhibitions centred on African people and the African Diaspora that may not have happened anywhere else but here. We’ve built a resilient and supportive community around our mission. I am confident that the Center is in a strong position to welcome new leadership to carry the institution to even greater heights.”
It is not clear where the next path for the accomplished author will be, but his duration at the centre was marked by a lot of growth including the creation of the Future Africa Forum, which initiated The Africa Center’s interdisciplinary approach to policy programming. That signature forum convenes heads of state, senior political officials, industry leaders, philanthropists, and luminaries in culture for discussions during the United Nations General Assembly.
According to a statement, it was announced that Dr Iweala also brought The Africa Center into a trailblazing partnership with Africa No Filter and the University of Cape Town to develop the Global Media Index that provides a benchmark for the way Africa is covered in the media. Among the curatorial highlights, Iweala’s team partnered with the Museum of Food and Drink to co-present the landmark exhibition African/American: Making the Nations Table and with Independent Curators International to co-present the exhibition States of Becoming featured cutting-edge 17 African artists from the continent and Diaspora.
He worked closely with the Board of Trustees to negotiate a retirement of the museum’s debt, reinvigorate fundraising, jumpstart construction of its flagship Aliko Dangote Hall, and grow relations with its neighbours. Iweala established a solid foundation of support for the Center within Harlem, the greater New York City area, on the African continent, and within African Diasporic communities throughout the world.
Prior to serving as CEO of The Africa Center, Iweala was the CEO, Editor-In-Chief, and co-founder of Ventures Africa magazine, a publication that covers the evolving business, policy, culture, and innovation spaces in Africa. His books include Beasts of No Nation, a novel released in 2005 to critical acclaim and adapted into a major motion picture; Our Kind of People, a non-fiction account of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria released in 2012; and Speak No Evil (2018), a novel about a queer first-generation Nigerian-American teen living in Washington, D.C. He also holds several positions across medicine and philanthropy.
No successor was announced by the organisation but it has selected Mr Isaacson Miller to search for The Africa Center’s next leader working alongside the Transition Committee that includes Trustees Temi Adeniji, Jim Bildner, Jamie Cooper, Jendayi Frazer, Meredith Marshall, and Ben Stein.
The Africa Center Board Co-Chair Chelsea Clinton lauded Dr Iweala saying, “The Board of Trustees is immensely grateful to Uzodinma Iweala for his visionary leadership, passion, and unwavering commitment to The Africa Center,” said Board Co-Chair Chelsea Clinton.
Also, Board Co-Chair Jendayi Frazer added that, “Uzodinma leaves behind a legacy of growth, innovation, and community engagement that will continue to inspire our work for years to come. We are committed to finding a successor who will build on his achievements and who will guide The Africa Center into its next phase of development as an institution and centre for the exploration of contemporary African issues in New York City and across the globe.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has reaffirmed the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) as the only legally recognised regulatory body for Human Resource (HR) practice in the country.
This follows the release of a new directive aimed at professionalising HR functions across the Federal Public Service.
The directive, contained in a circular issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), mandates officers occupying HR positions in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to obtain approved professional certifications.
The circular, referenced HCSF/3065/Vol.1/230 and dated May 14, 2026, was signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack.
According to the circular, the policy is part of ongoing reforms targeted at strengthening professionalism, ethical standards, competence and service delivery within the Federal Civil Service.
The government specifically recognised certifications issued by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), alongside a few globally recognised HR professional bodies, further reinforcing the Institute’s statutory role in regulating and advancing HR practice in Nigeria.
Under the new policy, officers deployed to HR functions within the Federal Public Service are required to possess approved HR certifications within a 12-month grace period.
It was also granted to affected officers to regularise their certification status, after which only certified professionals will be eligible for deployment into designated HR roles.
Reacting to the development, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, Mr Ahmed Ladan Gobir, described the circular as a landmark step towards institutionalising professionalism in Nigeria’s public sector.
He said the directive aligns the nation’s civil service with global best practices in Human Resource Management while reinforcing the importance of professional competence and ethical compliance in workforce management.
Mr Gobir stressed that CIPM remains the only institute legally empowered to regulate HR practice in Nigeria, noting that the Institute’s enabling law grants it authority to set standards, certify practitioners and enforce discipline within the profession.
“While the circular recognises certain international certifications, it is important to reiterate that within Nigeria, CIPM remains the only Institute with the legal mandate to regulate the practice of Human Resource Management,” he stated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Lagos Television (LTV 8), Alausa, Ikeja, has a new General Manager, and he is Mr Kayode Oyekanmi, replacing Mrs Sola Kosoko, who was ousted by the Lagos State government.
Mr Oyekanmi was presented with his letter of appointment on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, by the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr Bode Agoro, in a brief ceremony.
The new General Manager of the state-owned broadcast station was tasked with using his vast experience in the media space to take LTV 8 to greater heights.
Mr Agoro expressed confidence in Mr Oyekanmi’s capacity to reposition Lagos Television and wished him a successful and impactful tenure of office.
Prior to his appointment, Mr Oyekanmi served as the Director of Strategy Centre at the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, a position he has held since 2022.
A seasoned brand communications practitioner, Mr Oyekanmi has over three decades of professional experience spanning both the private and public sectors, with expertise in Advertising, Public Relations, and global export services.
He commenced his public service career as a Public Affairs Practitioner on March 1, 2000, with the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy.
The new LTV boss, a Lagos State indigene from Isale Eko, Lagos Island, has received several awards in recognition of his dedication, hard work, and commitment to the journalism profession.
He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Lagos and a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Education from Lagos State University.
He is an active Member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
In addition, he is a voracious reader and a passionate lawn tennis player, and currently serves as the Charter President of the Lagos State Ministry of Information Toastmasters Club.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A retired Major-General, Mr Adeyinka Famadewa, has been appointed as the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Homeland Security.
The appointee retired from the military after over three decades, with experience in national security strategy, intelligence fusion, counter-terrorism operations, and international security diplomacy.
His career reflects a rare blend of operational excellence, strategic foresight, and institutional leadership in safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity and national interests, a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr George Akume, said.
It was disclosed that Mr Famadewa was chosen for the position because of his exceptional record of service, strategic expertise, and outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s national security architecture.
The notice said the appointment underscores the commitment of the administration of Mr Tinubu to strengthening internal security coordination, enhancing intelligence-driven operations, and deepening inter-agency collaboration in addressing emerging security threats across the country.
The President expressed confidence that Mr Famadewa’s appointment will further enhance the government’s efforts toward achieving a safer and more secure Nigeria through improved coordination of homeland security initiatives, intelligence integration, and proactive risk management.
He also urged him to deploy his wealth of experience, professionalism, and strategic insight in advancing national security objectives and supporting the administration’s agenda.
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