By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, Professor Ayo Omotayo, has promised to take the institute to greater heights under his leadership.
The scholar made this pledge while responding to a congratulatory message sent to him by the Harvest of Talents Foundation (THoTF) established by Mr Rafiu Laguda.
THoTF is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in the United States of America and Nigeria providing a strong and stable environment for people to discover, grow, develop and maximize their talents.
The foundation has developed several initiatives aimed at developing the capacity of youngsters in Nigeria.
In the message, Mr Laguda said, “We are proud of the achievement of our Honorary Executive Director, Professor Ayo Omotayo, who has recently been appointed as the Director-General of NIPSS, Plateau State.
“With this appointment, we have seen that there is hope for Nigeria when qualified persons are allowed to contribute their quota to national development.”
In his response to the goodwill message, Prof Omotayo appreciated the THoFT family for their love and he promised not to disappoint them.
“I will like to appreciate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari for considering me of being worthy to lead this noble institution.
“This is a call to serve in a foremost institute that has done the nation proud in the area of developing strategic policies and plans that have aided the growth of the nation. I will do all to ensure that the institute experiences more phenomenal growth under my leadership,” he said.
Until his appointment, Prof Omotayo, who is a graduate of the prestigious University of Ibadan, was the Director of the Centre for Planning at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo and he was the former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 2012-2017.
He was the founder of the MBA Programme at LASU helping the university break new grounds in tuition-paying education. He is a Council Member of the Association of Nigerian Geographers.
The Professor of Environmental Sustainability in the Department of Geography and Planning at the institution was also a Foreign National Scholar to the United States of America. He has authored several papers in the field of fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, and sustainable environmental development. He is involved in different charity works across various strata of society.
