NIGERIAN NOMINEES FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002150 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/P (BEHRMAN),AF/FO, AF/W, INR/AA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON KISL NI SUBJECT: NIGERIAN NOMINEES FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT REF: STATE 112468 -------------- -------------- NOMINEES FOR PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT -------------- -------------- ¶1. The U.S. Mission to Nigeria nominates the following Nigerian entrepreneurs to attend the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington. Representatives from the Economic, Political, and Public Affairs Sections, in both Abuja and Lagos, and the U.S. Commercial Service and U.S. Agency for International Development considered leadership potential, age, regional and ethnic diversity, and gender balance in nominating these candidates, listed in alphabetical order. -------------- IS-HAQ AKINTOLA -------------- Is-haq Akintola, a Muslim scholar and professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Lagos, recognized a need to mediate between people of different faiths, particularly in the workplace. Convinced that Nigerian Muslims suffered from discrimination in the work-place due to ignorance and misunderstandings, he established the non-governmental organization Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) to act as a mediator for complaints about alleged religious discrimination. When MURIC personnel receive information on possible cases of religious discrimination or other forms of religious tension in the work place, they contact the involved parties and seek to resolve issues peaceably to prevent such differences from producing violence or increasing mistrust between communities. -------------- DR. AYOBAMI BARNABAS IKUEMONISAN -------------- Dr. Ayobami Barnabas Ikuemonisan received his degree in medicine and surgery from Obafemi Awolowo University in 2009. He serves as President of the Glimmer of Hope Foundation, a non-governmental organization that focuses on youth empowerment and adolescent health and development. As president of Glimmer of Hope, Ikuemonisan organized several seminars on the role of professionals treating HIV-AIDS patients, support for people living with HIV-AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, and motivational and career fairs for young people. He conducted research on use of mentorship as a tool for adolescent health behavior change. -------------- FATIMA AIKO MOHAMMED -------------- Fatima Aiko Mohammed serves as Editor-in-Chief of Draftbill magazine. Frustrated that Nigerians generally did not know who represented them in the National Assembly or what bills and issues underwent debate, she created a list of the bills initiated since 2006 and their status. She financed the first edition of Draftbill magazine, where she published this information with a photographic directory of representatives and articles about pending legislation. Mohammed has since published several editions. -------------- OMOWALE OGUNRINDE -------------- Omowale Ogunrinde serves as the Coordinator of the Foundation for Skills Development (FSD),a vocational and technical training center for unemployed adults, youth, and the physically challenged, among others. The Foundation's training center aims to empower 5,000 people annually with skills for self-employment. Training, which can be offered Qskills for self-employment. Training, which can be offered to up to 200 individuals at a time, covers business management and practical vocational training. The Africa Leadership Forum (a partner of the Central Bank of Nigeria) nominated the FSD to run training for small and medium scale entrepreneurs to learn the necessary skills to access loans, set up viable businesses, and grow existing businesses. ABUJA 00002150 002 OF 002 Ogunrinde participated in the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP),after which she used knowledge gained from her trip about giving back to one's community to employ self-help funding as seed money to turn FSD into a self-sustaining business. FSD provides much needed skills training in one of the poorer areas of Lagos State and serves as a model business for vocational skills training programs. ¶2. Mission Point of Contact for this initiative is Political Officer Cristin M. Heinbeck (e-mail address: heinbeckcm@state.gov; office telephone: 011-234-9461-4225), who can be contacted for additional details or follow up with nominees. SANDERS