* Applauded for impacting countless lives

By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Ambassador Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari has been lauded for positively impacting countless lives, and shaping the minds of future leaders, as well as inspiring a generation of scholars, thinkers, and doers.

The commendation was made by the President of the Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Alumni Association of Nigeria (COSFAN), Dr. Ekundayo Samuel, at the unveiling of a book titled “Readings in Diplomacy, Democracy, Peace and Development”, as part of activities marking Gambari’s 80th birthday.

COSFAN President, who said the book was a testament to the global influence of Prof. Gambari,
emphasised the important role that diplomacy plays in fostering understanding and peace, while eulogising Gambari for being “a beacon of hope, bridging gaps and building relationships that transcend borders.

He said: “His work has shown us that diplomacy is not merely a profession; it is a calling that requires courage, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to the greater good”, adding that Gambari, at 80, is a testament to the power of lifelong learning and relentless pursuit of knowledge, having demonstrated that age is not a barrier but a gateway to deeper understanding and greater impact.

“In every lecture delivered, in every negotiation navigated, and in every relationship forged, Prof. Gambari exemplified the idea that we can all contribute to a better world, regardless of the stage of life we find ourselves in. Let us be inspired by his passion for scholarship and unwavering commitment to service.”

He disclosed that the goal of COSFAN is to leverage the knowledge, training, skills, network, and contacts of its members within the Commonwealth to support Nigeria in achieving the SDGs, especially in education, and act as a think-tank for different development issues in Nigeria, adding that the association, under
the guidance of its Patron, Prof. Gambari, has contributed to Nigerian society by facilitating developmental projects across the country.

In her opening remarks, the Chairperson, Local Organising Committee (LOC), Dr. Abiola Adimula, said: “Today, COSFAN and all her partners are celebrating excellence, service, diligence, unwavering loyalty, commitment, mentorship, humility, and leadership par excellence, all encapsulated in a man – His Excellency, Amb. Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, CFR.”

Dr. Adimula disclosed that part of the funds generated from the book launch would be used by COSFAN to establish a Professorial Chair and research fund on Diplomacy and Peace Studies, at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies University of Ilorin, adding that “this would serve as enduring legacy to immortalise the Honoree of today”.

In his response, Nigeria’s former representative to the United Nations, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, described himself as an accidental diplomat judging by his childhood and educational background, saying he had only
wanted to be a school teacher.

“We all plan but God is the best planner. Up till now, I still tell people to refer to me as teacher by training and diplomat by accident because I did not want to be a diplomat. But, look at what the Almighty Allah has done to compel me from a person who went to a primary school in Bode Saadu and Malete in the now Moro local government area of Kwara state to become a one time President of United Nations Security Council.

“I served my country as longest serving ambassador at the United Nations. That was not also a happy period because I was constant in Nigeria’s standing in the world when we had so many issues at home. I had five Presidents during my period as Ambassador; Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Sanni Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar and briefly under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Now, if somebody who started in a village primary school in Bode Saadu and another senior village primary school in Malete, then to Ilorin provincial secondary school, now Government Secondary School (GSS) , Ilorin; then really the sky is the limit for everyone with God’s guidance and protection.

“How could I have imagined that the primary school I attended in Malete could then become a location of the first Kwara State- owned university and I was made the first pioneer Chancellor of the university. I thank God. We’re all in the hands of the Almighty God. His will shall be done. We only need to do our best and leave the rest in the hands of the Almighty.

“Charity begins at home and that’s why I have not been far from home and never been far from my people. And I look forward to spend the rest of my life in the service of, first, my people, the state, the nation, Africa and the rest of the world.

“That’s the essence of the concentric cycle of the foreign policy which I have always advocated and the centre must be the state, next our neighbour, region (ECOWAS), Africa and the rest of the world. Now, foreign policy shifts from administration to administration but in essence, it must be pursued in those frameworks and context.

“Foreign policy is the definition of the interests of your country and the projection of those interests so that in the process you will say what you want as a nation in the world and how do you conduct yourself in such a way to attain them in the interest of your country”, he said.

Also speaking as the reviewer of the book, the Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2018-2019), Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, said insecurity in Nigeria and especially in the North, is caused by poverty, ignorance, mining activities and weak traditional laws.

He called on government to improve efforts at addressing these identified causes of insecurity towards bringing about peace and development in the country.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, said the State is always proud that the mention of Professor Gambari commands respect and honour across all spectrums, “owing to his contributions to scholarship, international diplomacy and world peace, as well as national unity and development at various times”.

The book, a collection of 34 well-researched papers by global scholars, aims to serve as a reference for diplomacy, democracy, peace, and development studies. Dr. Adimula announced that part of the proceeds from the book launch would establish a Professorial Chair and research fund on Diplomacy and Peace Studies at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, as a lasting legacy in honour of Prof. Gambari.