Board Of Directors

Ambassador Kayode Garrick had a diplomatic career spanning over three decades, in the cause of which he served in several countries including France, Switzerland, USA, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Brazil.

Ambassador Garrick was a Minister responsible for Economic, Commercial and Investment Affairs at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC from 1998 to 2003.

He served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Brazil from 2005-2010 and was concurrently accredited to Bolivia and Paraguay. Ambassador Garrick currently served on a number of corporate boards including chemical and allied products Plc, and Global mandate consulting Limited.

Major General Isa Wali was born on February 5 1955, he had his primary education in Nigeria and his post primary education overseas obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Engineering between 1974-1978 from the prestigious Ahmadu bello university Zaria.

In his quest to acquire more knowledge Maj. General Wali proceeded to Rochester institute of technology where he had an Msc in electromagnetic radiation emission/signal processing and spectrum analysis (1991-1993), University of Ibadan between 2007-2008 where he also obtained an Msc in strategic studies.

Maj. General Wali was a Lieutenant in the Nigerian army school of signals (1979-1982), a Lieutenant in the Ministry of external affairs overseas communication department (1982-1984). He has respectively served in the Nigerian Army in various capacities as a Captain, Major, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Brigadier General and Major General winning several meritorious awards and medals for his accomplishments. He retired voluntarily in 2011 after serving as Deputy Commandant/Director of studies at the National Defence College. His hobbies include chess, Horse riding/Polo and Military history. .

Dr Suleyman Abdu Ndanusa, is a Banker, a Lawyer, an Economist, a Chartered Secretary and Stockbroker. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with Bsc (Hons) degree in Economics in 1978, and obtained an MBA in 1982 from the same University. He obtained an LLB degree from University of Lagos in 2000 and was called to bar in 2003. He is a graduate of the prestigious Advance Management programme of Harvard Business School, USA, and holder of Doctor of Letters of St. Clements University, UK. Ndanusa served variously as Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Commerce; Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission; Lead Consultant in the Central Bank of Nigeria Bank Consolidation Monitoring Team, before his appointment as the Managing Director of Spring Bank Plc on an interim arrangement to salvage the crises ridden Bank.

Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), Dr. Ndanusa has served as a Council Member, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission; Member, Technical Committee on Privation (BFE); National Pensions Reforms Steering Committee and is currently, the Chairman/Pro-Chancellor of IBB University Lapai in Niger State. He is also a Fellow in a number of Professional Associations; a director on the Board of UAC Plc, amongst others.

Air Vice Marshal Jon Ode was born into a predominantly military family of two army, two air force and one naval officers. His father was a veteran of the Burma campaign.

Jon attended the Nigerian Military School Zaria and the Nigerian Defence Academy, had his initial pilot training at 301 Flying Training School NAF Base Kaduna and went through the undergraduate pilot training programme with the United States Air Force and graduated in 1978. He had his Instructor Pilot Training on the Fighter Aircraft also with the United States Air Force in 1979.

Air Vice Marshal Jon Ode worked at 303 Flying Training School in Kano for sixteen and half years (1979-1994). He was posted out after acting as Commander of the Base for 6 months. He was the Station Commander in Yola from August 1994 to May 1996 and was posted to Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (HQ NAF) where he served as Military Assistant to the Chief of the Air Staff for 3 years. Air Vice Marshal Jon Ode was posted to Washington DC where he served as the Defence Attaché, covering the entire North and South American continents. While on the assignment, he was appointed the Chairman of the African Defence Attachés Association for the Year 2001, was returned unopposed for the Year 2002 before his return to Nigeria. He worked with the Military Professional Resources Incorporation (MPRI) on his return to Nigeria in 2002 and headed the Doctrine and Strategy Cell.

Other appointments held include Directing Staff, National War College, Abuja (Aug 04 - Jun 06), Director of Training, HQ NAF (Jun 06 - Jan 07), Deputy Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (Jan 07 – Aug 08), Acting Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (Aug - Oct 08), Air Officer Administration, HQ NAF (Oct 08 - Mar 09), Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence, DIA, Abuja (Mar - Jun 09), Chief of Defence Communications, DHQ (Jun 09 - Jan 10) and Chief of Policy and Plans, DHQ (Jan – Oct 10).

Air Vice Marshal Jon Ode holds a Masters degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution. He retired from the Nigerian Air Force in October 2010. Presently, he is the Senior Special Adviser (Policy) to the Honourable Minister of Defence.

Luke Abidemi Lawal is a seasoned banker and a financial leader. He has over 27 years post qualification experience and until his appointment as Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager in the Government Contractor Lending Group at Sandy Spring Bank, Maryland, he was the Vice President, Commercial Division at United Bank, Maryland, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Bancshares, West Virginia, USA. Luke started his banking carrier as a Management Trainee/Senior Credit Analyst with Wells Fargo Bank in Texas in 1987 where he rose and became its Assistant Vice President before moving to join United Bank in 1997 as Vice President, Corporate Lending Group and held several positions.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Grand Canyon University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Texas. USA. He is an Executive Member of the Nigerian International Athletes Association (“NIAA” www.niaausa.org), a not for profit organization established in 2000 to provide scholarship, equipment and part of its mission is to identify and up bring talented disadvantage youths that are at the grass root level. This is an organization whose members are former Nigerian Athletes. Performed various fundraising activities that generate corporate sponsorship and donations.

He is member of the Board of Directors, VP and Treasurer for the Women At Real Risk (“WARR” www.warrdc.ORG), a Washington DC based not for profit organization with the task of eradicating breast cancer though Education and Advocacy. Luke is a former Nigerian athlete in track & field and basketball. He was on the Grand Canyon University’s Basketball team that won the 1978 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (“NAIA”)’s championship.