NIGERIA SECURITY EXPERT, STRATEGIST AND ENTERPRENEUR, CHIEF EZEKIEL IRIMIYA MARKS BIRTHDAY, CALLS FOR STRATEGIC COOPERATION
By Godson Ikpontu

A renowned and dogged crusader of Change, Politician, Security Expert, Enterpreneur, Investment and organizational Strategist, Chief Irimiya Ezekiel Afukonyo has added another year to his graceful age. While speaking to newsmen at his Abuja residence early today, the Chairman of Open Palm Nigeria Limited, Chief Ezekiel Irimiya expressed gratitude to God Almighty for the grace of a new age, in good health and marital bliss.

Chief Irimiya has continue to receive countless congratulatory messages, prayers, wishes and gifts from well wishers, family members, friends, reputable personalities and high leveled Executives in Nigeria and from across the world. Some felicitations thrown at him especially via the social media space spotlighted his undaunted capacity, vibrant intellectuality, selflessness and dedication towards promoting development in Nigeria and the northeast, where he hails from.

In his birthday message, he ceased the opportunity to commend the leadership of HE, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, stressing that more strategic cooperation and reintegration in the public and private sector was needed to speedup development, with regards to the ongoing security and economic challenges in the country. He however charged Leaders across all sectors to maintain the spirit of true nationalism, so as to encourage sustainable development and progression of our national vision.

In an extensive review into the fundamental capacity of Chief Ezekiel, we uncovered his earnest civic engagements towards sustaining growth and development in Nigeria. Some of which includes his service with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Research Department from 1997 to 2010 and was later made Chief/Head, Consular and Immigration Department in the Ministry. Considering his integrated pedigree in security and international intelligence, Chief was appointed a pioneer Board Member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision-EFCC.

He has also served Nigeria at several International missions which includes the Nigerian Mission In Abu Dhabi, UAE as Head Consular and Immigration in 2009 and the Nigerian Mission In Rome Italy, as Head Economic and Commercial Desk in 2010. Chief Irimiya has represented Nigeria at several international forums and functions, including Ecowas Draft Expert Committee Meeting in Ghana on Child Trafficking in 2001, Common Wealth Youth Forum at UK in 2001 and was Leader of the Team that evacuated Nigerian Refugees and Prisoners from Bangkok Thailand in 2006. In that same Year, Chief Ezekiel Represented Nigeria In Netherlands at the Joint Experts Trainiing On Immigration Programme, Delegate at the International Conference For Security Experts in 2009 at Abu Dhabi and represented Nigeria at the Oil And Gas Confrence at Ravenna, Italy in 2010.

With his outstanding excellence and intensive knowledge on local and international security, Chief Ezekiel has however handled several classified Operations and Duties for Nigeria, both at home and abroad. While enclosed in notable engagement of his civic responsibilities for our great nation, Ezekiel participated and frontlined several civil activities. Some of this responsibilities include, Patron of Taraba Association of Peace and Development, Patron of the International Agency for the Protection of Child and Women Against Traffiking, Patron of Taraba State Choir Association-Interdenominational, Deacon of Living Faith Church Worldwide and Founder of Afukonyo Memorial Foundation, a humanitarian organization, dedicated to promote and sustain the legacy and visionary perspective of Afukonyo across Nigeria and Africa. Chief was decorated with a traditional title in Ibbi Chiefdom, where he was honoured with "Katukan Ibbi" title and another in Anambra state as the "Ike Oma of Nnewi community.