Tom Ikimi

Last updated
Chief Tom Ikimi
Ikimiadressing united nation.png
Foreign Affairs Minister
In office
1995–1998
Personal details
Born (1944-04-10) 10 April 1944 (age 81)
Residence Edo state
Profession Politician
Website http://www.chieftomikimi.net

Chief Tom Ikimi (born 10 April 1944) is a Nigerian politician and architect who served as minister of foreign affairs from 1995 to 1998. [1] He was appointed chairman of ECOWAS Council of Ministers and ECOWAS Committee of Nine on Liberia (C-9) on 26 July 1996. He has also served as chairman of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) and was a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Contents

Early life and education

Ikimi was born in Kumba, Southern British Cameroons (modern-day Cameroon) to John Onile Ikimi and Victoria Isiemoa Ikimi, both from Igueben, Igueben Local Government Area, Edo State. He attended St. Joseph's College, Sasse, Buea, Southern Cameroons, from 1957 to 1961. He was a pioneer student of the Midwestern Polytechnic, Auchi, Midwestern Nigeria (now Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State), for his technical education from January 1966 to December 1967 (Building and Civil Engineering), where he obtained an Ordinary National Diploma. He was a pioneer member of the Students Union, a keen sportsman and established the College Athletics Club.[ citation needed ]

His professional education in architecture was at the Ahmadu Bello University, Architectural School, Zaria, from 1968 to 1973, where he obtained the B. Arch (Hons) degree. Ikimi was a member of the student union and National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS). He moved the motion in late 1970 at the NUNS convention in Zaria to readmit the Eastern Unions back into the NUNS at the end of the civil war.

He was a pioneer member of the National Youth Service Corps programme, serving in Ibadan, western Nigeria, from 1973 to 1974. He worked as an architect in the firm of planning partnership, later at IBRU Vaughan Richards & Partners, Lagos, from 1974 to 1977 and was made associate partner in 1975. He established his own firm, Tom Ikimi Design Company in May 1977 and executed a number of private and commercial projects within and outside Nigeria, from 1977 to 1993. He later won the international competition for the new OAU office and conference centre project in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. He is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (FNIA) and has business interests in construction, trade and farming.

Positions held

Functions at the United Nations

Ikimi led Nigeria's delegation to the Review/Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in New York City, delivering the national position address on 18 April 1995.

Additionally, Ikimi headed the delegation to the ministerial meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Bandung, Indonesia, from 25 to 27 April 1995.

Ikimi represented the head of state, commander-in-chief, at the 40th anniversary meeting of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries in Bandung, Indonesia, on 28 April 1995.

Furthermore, Ikimi led the delegation to the ministerial meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement in Cartagena, Colombia, from 18 to 20 May 1998, delivering Nigeria's statement on 19 May 1998.

Taking charge of the delegation, Ikimi oversaw Nigeria's participation in the Special UN Security Council Session for Foreign Ministers in New York City, delivering the country’s statement on 26 September 1995.

Ikimi led the delegation to the 50th Commemorative Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) from September to December 1995, delivering Nigeria's statement to the Assembly on 3 October 1995.

Serving as the president of the United Nations Security Council in October 1995, Ikimi hosted Pope John Paul II at the UN 50th Anniversary celebration in the capacity of President of the Security Council.

Ikimi represented the head of state, commander-in-chief, at the summit meeting of the non-aligned member countries of the United Nations Security Council in New York City on 4 October 1995.

Continuing his leadership, Ikimi headed the delegation to the 51st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) from September to December 1996, delivering Nigeria's statement on 3 October 1996.

Ikimi also represented the head of state at the 11th Summit of the Non-Aligned countries in Cartagena, Colombia, from 18 to 20 October 1998, delivering Nigeria's statement on 18 October 1998.

Ikimi led the delegation to the 52nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) from September to December 1997, delivering Nigeria's statement on 23 September 1997.

Functions at ECOWAS

Roles in Sierra Leone

The violent overthrow of the government of president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah on 25 May 1997 posed a threat not only to the peace and security of Sierra Leone but also to the security and stability of the West African subregion. As chairman of the committee of four and five on Sierra Leone, he led negotiations and coordinated the delicate operations leading to the successful restoration of the government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah on 10 March 1998. He led the ECOWAS team and was the first to enter Sierra Leone to assess the situation on the ground after the liberation of Freetown from the rebels by ECOMOG forces on 18 to 19 February 1998 to permit the return of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah from exile in Conakry. [3]

Roles at the Organisation of African Unity

His tenure as foreign minister coincided with the period when the West African subregion and indeed much of Africa was beset with conflicts, which included civil wars in Angola, Rwanda/Burundi, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), the Sudan, Liberia, Somalia and Sierra Leone. The central organ of the OAU was established in Cairo in 1994 as a mechanism for resolving these conflicts. In his tenure, Nigeria retained her membership of the central organ in the three successive elections that were conducted annually. Aside from the several meetings of the OAU council of ministers, Ikimi represented the Nigerian head of state at the summit meeting of the Central Organ of the OAU Mechanism for the Prevention, Management and Resolution of Conflicts in Tunis on 20 April 1995. He led Nigeria’s delegation to the 31st OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 26 to 28 June 1995; in Cameroon, from 9 to 10 July 1996; at the 32nd OAU Assembly in Zimbabwe, from 1 to 3 June 1997; and in Burkina Faso, on 8 June 1998.

Politics

Honours

He was honoured by Pope John Paul II in 1993 with the Knight of St. Gregory The Great (KSG). In March 2003, he was honoured by the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, with a D.Sc. in Architecture. He was honoured with the title, Akinrogun of Ife by the Ooni of Ife, in 1991. He Inherited the family title of the Inneh of Igueben, in his homeland of Igueben, Esanland, Edo State, in 1988. The title Oduma of Igueben was conferred upon him by the community in 1993.

Personal life

He is married, with three sons and a daughter. He is a Roman Catholic.

References

  1. vanguard. "Home News Business Technology Politics Sports Entertainment Style Viewpoint Editorial Forum Jobs Columns PROPERTY THESPARK Ikimi heads 19-man c'ttee on ACN, CPC, ANPP merger". vanguardngr.com/2013/01/ikimi-heads-19-man-cttee-on-acn-cpc-anpp-merger/. vanguard. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  2. "Chief Tom Ikimi". www.edoworld.net. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  3. "Ecowas Ministers Due To Visit Sierra Leone Today" . Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  4. "Modu Sheriff has also thrown his political weight behind former External Affairs Minister, Tom Ikimi for the exalted position" . Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  5. "ACN, CPC, ANPP merge as one party".
  6. "Tom Ikimi Quits APC". Channels TV . Retrieved 27 August 2014.
Political offices
Preceded by Foreign Minister of Nigeria
1995 1998
Succeeded by