Posted Sat, Aug 14, 2021 4:30 AM

Joda: NESG mourns death of founding father

We join the entire nation to mourn the passing of Alhaji Ahmed Joda, a distinguished former Permanent Secretary, who was for us, not just an elder statesman but also a thought leader and founding father. His keen intellect and tireless efforts helped birth the Nigerian Economic Summit in 1993. 

Alhaji Joda was notable for his vision of a Nigeria without ethnic or religious bias that is secure and prosperous. He contributed to this by leading tirelessly and serving passionately during his lifetime of service to the nation. 

At the NESG, we rededicate ourselves to advancing that mandate in the national interest. The NESG will always be inspired by Alhaji Joda’s forthrightness and doggedness in paving the way for a globally competitive economy and business environment for Nigeria, despite the odds. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with his beloved family at this time. May Allah grant him Jannat Firdaus.

Signed: Mr Asue Ighodalo

Chairman,

For the Board of Directors, NESG

About Alhaji Ahmadu Joda OFR. CON. CFR.,

Ahmed Joda was born in Yola in 1930. He attended Yola Elementary School and Yola Middle School before proceeding to Barewa College from 1945 to 1948. 

He worked briefly at Moor Plantation in Ibadan, and later as an Agricultural Officer in Yola before entering the field of journalism at Gaskiya Corporation in Zaria. He then attended Pitmans College, London from 1954 to 1956. On his return, he became a correspondent at the Nigerian Broadcasting Service from 1956 to 1960.

He then joined the Northern regional government as a Chief Information Officer, then Permanent Secretary from 1962 to 1967. In 1967, following the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War, he was seconded to the Federal Civil Service as a Permanent Secretary serving in the Federal Ministries: Information, Education, and Industries, where he retired in 1978. He then retired into private business during the Second Nigerian Republic, where he served as Chairman and Board Member of various companies.

He was also a member of the 1988 Constituent Assembly which planned the constitutional transition of the Third Nigerian Republic. In 1993, he worked with Chief Ernest Shonekan, Mr Pascal Dozie, Mr Dick Kramer and many other notable personalities to convene the Nigerian Economic Summit.