It is a pleasure to write you my first email as President. The election period featured a lot of energy and passion and I really look forward to seeing that energy come through again as you help position ISOC Nigeria Chapter as the foremost organization for driving the spread and development of an open Internet in Nigeria.
The past couple of weeks have been quite busy for the incoming Executive Council as we’ve been having meetings to chart a course for our so-old-yet-so-young Internet Society Chapter. Despite different locations and busy work schedules, access to the Internet and zeal have made it possible for us to meet repeatedly. I am glad to be working with such a passionate set of people and look forward to great times ahead.
Kindly join me in expressing appreciation to the outgoing Executive for their cooperation and meeting with me in person to for an informal sort of handover to allow us get started. Engineer Giandomenico Massari – the outgoing President was very kind and spent some hours sharing the history that birthed the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter 19 years ago along with other passionate Nigerians. We need to make deliberate efforts to capture and preserve our valuable history. Engineer Otunte Otueneh – the outgoing Secretary was also kind enough to meet with me to hand over the Chapter’s 1998 Certificate of Incorporation and share details of collaboration and relationships with other organizations. We are grateful to them both for their past service and their commitment to continued cooperation as we grow the Chapter together.
I would also like to appreciate members who volunteered their time and resources in the Central Working Committee, Bylaw Review Committee, Elections Committee, those who stood for election, and those who helped rally others to vote. You are the leadership of this chapter and I look forward to your continued contribution to the growth of the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter even as others join us.
Last week at the AFRINIC-27 meetings in Lagos, I had opportunities to meet briefly with ISOC Nigeria Chapter members present at the event and I found those interactions quite refreshing. As a leadership, the Executive looks forward to meeting with a larger group of members in the near future. While a large general meeting this year is desirable, funding and the fact that everyone is winding down activities for the year may constrain us to a small meeting with remote participation option – after all, we are the Internet Society and better a virtual meeting than no meeting, right? 😉 More details should be available in a couple of days.
There is a lot that we need to do as a Chapter and the leadership believes that it is best we tap into whatever resources and skills you are willing to make available for the growth of your Chapter. In the coming days, a call for volunteers will be sent to you as an Internet Society Nigeria Chapter member. Please take some minutes to provide details of those skills and resources that you would like to make available and the number of hours you would like to volunteer.
Some of the urgent tasks ahead include revamping the Chapter’s web presence, engaging other members to help them understand what ISOC Nigeria Chapter is (and is not) as well as constituting groups for accomplishing various other tasks for the Chapter to function in a more effective manner.
There’s a lot more to talk about but I will stop here so you can get back to work. On behalf of Mrs. Bukola Fawole (Financial Secretary), Dr. MaryJane Sule (Treasurer), Otunba Akinbo Adebunmi (Public Relations Officer), Prince Iniobong Eka (Vice President), Mr. Caleb Ogundele (Programme Secretary), and Mallam Auwal Tata (Secretary General), I wish you seasons greetings, fruitfulness in the final month of 2017, and a prosperous 2018 in advance.
Thank you for being a member of ISOC Nigeria Chapter.
Sincerely,
Dewole Ajao
President
Internet Society Nigeria Chapter
dewole@isoc.ng