On Tuesday, 25^th October 2016, the Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) announced that Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega has become the first AIG Visiting Fellow of Practice at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be the first AIG Visiting Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Governance – I fully subscribe to your shared purpose of building good governance and public leadership in Africa,” said Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega on accepting the invitation from AIG.

It is worthy to note that AIG entered into a partnership with the Blavatnik School based on the shared purpose of building good governance and public leadership in Africa. The AIG believes that the high-calibre individuals trained at the school will drive best practice standards of governance across Africa, ensuring sustainable economic growth and social justice.

The AIG initiative is a panel of seven eminent advisors chaired by His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This provides strategic direction and leadership in the selection of AIG scholars and fellows and fosters the long-term sustainability of the initiatives.

Why was Professor Jega chosen?

According to Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the Founder, and Chairman, Africa Initiative for Governance, the unanimous choice of Professor Jega is based on AIG’s award criteria. The criteria require AIG fellows to demonstrate evidence of outstanding contribution to the public good, through exemplary leadership in public service and Professor Jega clearly exhibits these qualities.

As the Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he presided over the 2011 and 2015 general elections that were characterized by openness and integrity. The successful outcome of Nigeria’s 2015 presidential elections has elevated democratic standards in Africa to new heights.

What you didn’t know about Professor Jega

• Professor Jega obtained a B.Sc. (Hon.) in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University, Illinois, USA.

• Prior to his work with INEC, he was the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, Nigeria.

• He has also served in various capacities such as Director Center for Democratic Research and Training (Bayero University); President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); Visiting Senior Research Fellow (Nigerian Institute of International Affairs); Swedish Institute Fellow at the Department of Political Science (University of Stockholm); Visiting Fellow at St. Peters College (University of Oxford) and Visiting Scholar (George Mason University) to name a few.

• He is currently a Professor in the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano and has published extensively on Nigerian politics, elections, democratization, and transition to democracy.

In addition to the Fellowship, the AIG has three other schemes: AIG scholarships for a Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the Blavatnik School of Governance; the AIG Index, an independent annual statistical assessment of public sector performance in Nigeria; and, AIG Public Sector Award for high performers in the public sector.