INAUGURAL SPEECH BY JIMSON OLUFUYE ON THE OCASSION OF HIS ELECTION AS THE NEW ITAN PRESIDENT, TODAY MARCH 29, 2007

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

 would like to first thank God Almighty for the grace of life to witness today. May His name be glorified for ever In Jesus Name. (ijn). My appreciation goes to my predecessor Mr Will Anyaegbunan for a successful transition. It is my prayer too that our nation Nigeria will witness similar peaceful transition in the forth coming pool ijn. My interest in ITAN was first kindled in 1995 by the immediate past president of ITAN, the visionary Mr Chris Uwaje, the oracle of the IT industry. Mr Uwaje possesses exemplary and unique dispositions that you can not but recognize. And so for his immense and resourceful contributions both then and now to ITAN development I say a big thank you. I would confess that I’d still need your dynamic support to re-engineer ITAN and surpass its nearly lost glory. May I also use this opportunity to thank my colleagues in the out gone ITAN council particularly Mr Ganiyu Alimi of Gafunk Computers for their steadfastness with regard to the ITAN vision.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome you all to the Next Level in ITAN. The Next Level is to move ITAN from its hitherto trepid position to its expected leadership position in the IT Industry. ITAN was well known for aggressive but sound industry initiatives like the local production of PC initiative of 1996 that which resulted in the likes of Zinox, Omatek, Beta, Brian etc; and the very successful IT Policy drive of 1999 resulting in the adoption of the National IT Policy by the Federal Executive Council in March 2001; and as such ITAN is expected to drive far more reaching initiatives which it has not done in the past few years. 

Therefore, in this Next Level the following will be my focal points:

1. Resuscitation of ITAN brand and membership with the goal of adding critical values to their businesses. In this regard, ITAN would organize quarterly capacity/policy/development forums like this to stimulate the industry.

2. Promoting top-level synergy with other sister associations in the ICT industry in order to amass and drive critical developmental mass. In this regard, I would be interested in strengthening the NCS accord and working assiduously to ensure its success in all ramifications. Further in this regard, this era would be an era of full compliance with the CPN Acts by our members for the professionalism of the profession and industry.

3. The launching of relentless campaigns and seeing to the creation of the Ministry of Information Technology (For example, in this coming election, ITAN would be interested in endorsing any Presidential candidate that would create the Ministry of Information Technology and pursue the passage of critical IT developmental Bills on assumption of power in May 29, 2007)

4. Extension of hands of fellowship to other associations of similar objectives in Africa and around the world

The undeniable and expected result of the above mentioned focal points is to cheetahpolevault Nigeria’s abysmal IT penetration and increases drastically its pcdensity and e-readiness for the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

I cannot conclude this speech without thanking our sponsors who have helped financially and morally to make this event a huge success. Therefore, I would like to thank CPN, NCS, NITDA, Zinox, Omatek, Balogtek, Beta, Intel, HP, Termex, Kontemporary Komputers. To our resource persons – Dr Chris  Nwannena, President, NCS, Dr Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman, Zinox Technologies, Mr Emeka Ndu – Managing Director, CI Leasing PLC, Prof C. O. Angaye, Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Prof Adenike Osofisan, President CPN, Mr Tunji Balogun, MD,Brian Computers, Engr Omotunde-Young, MD Kes Computers Ltd, Mr Soji Romeo-CANI Programme Manager Mr Babatunde Robinson of Intel, Mrs Bunmi Badiru, MD Termex Ltd, I say a big thanks.

I cannot forget to thank my partners and friends in the media. You have done a good job of giving this event it's deserved publicity.  Mr Emeka Anigam, Mr Sonny Aragba-Akpore and many others too numerous to mention I thank you. Thank you all and God bless you.

About Jimson Olufuye

imson Olufuye is the immediate past Vice President of ITAN. He is also the CEO of Kontemporary Komputers Ltd. He obtained a BSc in Applied Mathematics and Statistics (2:1) from the University of Lagos in 1988, an MTech in Maths/Computers Science from Federal University of Technology, Minna 2002 and he is currently a PhD student at the Irish University Business School, London. He has put in over 17 years in the IT Industry and contributed immensely to the growth of the industry.

Mr Olufuye is a fellow and NEC member of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS). Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Management Auditors (ICMA). Member of the Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN).  He has distinguished himself in the Abuja Community where he lives and for which he was given four Chieftaincy titles (by the Yoruba, Tiv, Shere and Fulani communities) in 2003.

Mr Olufuye is well traveled. He has attended professional courses in US, UK, South Africa, UAE etc. He enjoys playing Chess as he once won a gold medal in Chess for Unilag at the 1988 NUGA Games.

A man of integrity and honour, he is also an Area Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Northern Province 5, Abuja.

Pastor Olufuye is married to Pharmacist Oki Olufuye and they are both blessed with 2 children (a boy and a girl).

Jimson Olufuye

ITAN President