MAJASAN Ademola

ADEMOLA MAJASAN (1875, Swanston, 1968)

CITATION OF DR. ADEMOLA ADETOKUNBOH MAJASAN ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE SEPTEMBER, 23, 2016

Ademola Adetokunboh Majasan was born on September 20 1956 in Manchester, England to late Professor James Majasan a distinguished Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Ibadan and Mrs. Victoria Majasan. The third of six siblings, he attended Abadina Primary School, University of Ibadan before proceeding to Government College, Ibadan in 1968.

At Government College, he was in Swanston House. He was very active in sports and represented the House in hockey and Cricket games. On obtaining his West African School Certificate, he proceeded to the International School, University of Ibadan where he obtained his Higher School Certificate. From International School, Ibadan, he was admitted to read Veterinary Medicine at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan where he graduated in 1982 and joined the Federal Department of Livestock and Pest Control Services (FDLPCS).

As a Civil Servant, he began his career in 1983 as Veterinary Officer in Funafuna Cattle Multiplication Centre, Kontagora, Niger State and was later posted to the headquarters in Abuja where he rose to his current position of Deputy Director and Head of Quality Assurance and Standards, Federal Department of Veterinary Services, FMARD, Abuja.

Dr. Majasan�s career spans over 34 years with a proven track record of handling high-priority national and international projects. He has demonstrated competencies in animal health, pest control, livestock project planning and coordination, livestock policy and legislation development, livestock trade, meat hygiene, veterinary public health and epidemiology as can be attested to in his resume.

All through his public career, he worked in the public sector acquiring extensive experience in livestock policy and institutional development and contributing immensely to Nigeria�s livestock management regime. He also served as member or as Team Leader in several national livestock related assignments and Projects including: the Animal Health Study (1990), 1991 National Livestock Census, Livestock Sub sector Review (1992), Pre appraisal of the Third Livestock Development Project (1993), Pan African Control of Epizootics (PACE) Project document (2000) and the Presidential Committee on Livestock (2002-2003);

In August, 2003 he was appointed as the Animal Health Liaison Officer (EMPRES Officer) with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Nigeria under the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS), a position he held until August, 2007. He implemented Projects during the period including a soil fertility initiative for the livestock sub-sector (2003 � 2004) titled Pilot Communal Small Ruminant/Alley Farming Project and also organised a study tour to Kenya on the Implementation of Community Animal Health Workers Scheme (CAHWs) in (2007). He participated actively in the control of Avian Influenza outbreak in Nigeria and was a member of the FAO Avian Influenza Control Task Force and a member of Technical Committee of the Avian Influenza Crisis Management Centre set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in February, 2006.

On his deployment back to the Ministry in 2007, He also served as the Desk Officer and Ministry�s Representative in the harmonisation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary pertaining to safety of foods of animal origin in the ECOWAs region. The regulations have since been approved by the Heads of Government in the sub-region. He also served as the Ministry�s Focal Point for Codex Alimentarius Commission, WTO SPS Focal Point for Animal Health, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)�s Focal Point on Animal Welfare, a member of the International Standards Organisation Technical Committee and Working Group on Animal Welfare ISO/TC 034/WG16 and a member of the Nigeria�s Food Safety Management Committee. During the implementation of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Ministry, He was appointed the ATA Focal Officer for the Department and was the Desk Officer, Leather Value Chain Development.

As a Nigerian Veterinarian, he was a very active member of the Local Chapter of Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) and he was one time a member of the Branch�s Executive Committee, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 1999 NVMA Annual Conference and the Secretary of the LOC at the inauguration of the College of Veterinary Surgeons Nigeria (CVSN) in 2001. In recognition of his contributions to the development of the Veterinary Profession in Nigeria, he was conferred with the Membership of the College of Veterinary Surgeons Nigeria (MCVSN) in February, 2004, In February, 2006 he was elected into the Senate of the College of Veterinary Surgeons, Nigeria (CVSN for a five year term.

As a GCIOB, he has been a very active member of the GCIOBA, Abuja and has also participated in many activities at the national level. He was also one of the foundation members of the Abuja Branch and was Secretary of the Branch for several years before being elected Chairman of the Branch in 2013. As Secretary to the Branch, he was able to effectively mobilize Old Boys to attend the regular quarterly meetings. The membership of the Association has also increased from the initial 20 members in 2002 to over 80 members as at today. As Chairman, he was able to raise 50 Million Naira to renovate dilapidated GCI buildings through the support of Prof. Afolabi who was then the Permanent Secretary, Fed. Ministry of Education. He was also able to mobilize GCIOBs to support the repositioning of the School. Some of the projects embarked on by the Branch as Chairman include Renovation of Block 2C, contributions to the GCIOBA house, contributions to the �Support a Teacher Scheme� by NEC, setting up of a Welfare Committee for the Branch and donation of 1 million Naira as the Branch�s contribution to the GCIOBA Educational Foundation. As Chairman, he has also ensured that the bi-monthly meetings and the Annual Dinners were held regularly and as when due.

He has participated in many conferences, seminars and short courses both locally and abroad and presented technical papers at some of these seminars. He loves reading, playing lawn tennis, scrabble and surfing the internet. He is married to Biodun Majasan (nee Ogundeji), and the marriage is blessed with three children. .

He was honoured by the Branch for meritorious service to his nation and especially to the development of the Branch with the ABUJA GCIOBA DISTINGUISHED OLD BOY AWARD in December, 2006 and was also honoured by the National Body of the GCIOBA with the 2011 NATIONAL GCIOBA MERIT AWARD for his services to the GCIOBA.

I present to you Dr. Ademola Adetokunbo Majasan a career civil servant, professional veterinarian, mobilizer, organizer, team player and an administrator par excellence who has remained and will continue to remain a pillar to the GCIOBA, Abuja Branch. We wish you a happy retirement Sir and may the Good Lord Continue to direct your path in retirement.