THISDAYonline

Following a unanimous decision of the 189-member countries of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Professor Michael Abiola Omolewa was on Monday, September 29, 2003, elected President of the General Conference of UNESCO, the supreme governing body of the organisation.

The three organs of UNESCO are the General Conference, the Executive Board and the Secretariat. Omolewa has been a member of the Executive Board since 1999 and also chaired the Education Commission during the 31st Session of the General Conference in 2001.

The election is no longer news. But it was and still is, as they say, a real big deal. The Presidency of the General Conference will not come to Africa again in the next 15 years. It is certainly not coming to West Africa in the next 60, and unlikely to come to Nigeria in the next 90 years.

Winner of the Departmental Prize in History and Sir James Robertson Prize at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan (UI) in 1967, Omolewa has come a long from 1964 when he won the Federal Government Scholarship and a year later, a University of Ibadan Scholarship for undergraduate study in History. He was to win another UI scholarship for his Postgraduate programme, which he completed in 1973, specialising in African and European History.

Going through the Curriculum Vitae, even a highlight of institutions attended, books published or prizes won by the man who, in addition to English and Yoruba languages, speaks both French and German would perhaps take forever.

Omolewa's election came at the 32nd Session of the General Conference, the biennial meeting of member states, which held in Paris, France from September 29 to October 17, but he was the 36th President to be so appointed, having had four extra ordinary sessions in the past, with people elected to preside over them.

The former Project Director of the acclaimed University Village Association (UNIVA), an Ibadan Community Development, Literacy and Health Project, was also the fifth African and first West African to preside over the General Conference and the first in recent times to be unanimously elected.

The first African was Ethiopian-born, Mr. Akale-work Abte-Wold, who was elected to chair to 11th Session of the General Conference in 1960.

Inviting Prof. Omolewa to deliver his address at the recent regional launch of the Literacy Decade in Mauritius early this month, the Director of UNESCO's Regional Office for Education in Africa (BREDA), Dakar, Mr. Armoogum Parsuramen, referred to the unanimous decision, saying it was a clear indication of the confidence and respect that Omolewa enjoys amongst member nations of UNESCO.

The Vice president of the International Bureau of Education (IBE) also said in his acceptance speech that: "The honour you have just bestowed on my country and on myself is for me an immense demonstration of your appreciation of Nigeria's abiding faithfulness to our organisation."

The election did not come on a platter of gold. It was the result of hard work and intense lobby. Although the attention of member countries had been drawn to the fact that it was Africa's turn to produce the President, a few countries, including South Africa and Tanzania were interested.

The first hurdle that Omolewa crossed was his presentation as the sole candidate for West Africa. It was no mean task to convince members that Since Ethiopia, Cameroun and Kenya had their turns, with Kenya having two shots; it was indeed the turn of West Africa.

Then came the hurdle of Africa Region. Tanzania was very keen too and so came another round of politicking and lobbying.

The Member, Governing Board of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) eventually got the needed support and was put forward as the sole candidate for the Africa Region. It must be said however that Omolewa had the needed 'home support' from the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Education every step of the way.

Gradually, the support from other regions came in. At the end of the day, and as Omolewa would say, "to the Glory of God", Nigeria carried the day.

For the man who lives by the biblical phrase, "let he that glorieth, glory in this fact, that he knoweth God", it was indeed a moment of great glory for Nigeria, which he did not want to savour alone.

Recognising the contribution of those who had served before him as Ambassador and Permanent Delegate, and their contribution to Nigeria's status in UNESCO today, the Nigerian delegation put together a celebration of "the pioneers.'

They include Ambassadors Judith Sefi Attah (described as the Trailblazer), Yahaya Aliu (The Chairman) and Emmanuel Akinluyi (The visionary) who handed over to Omolewa in 1999.

Ambassador Attah was the first Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. She was then the Director of Higher Education inn the Federal Ministry of Education. Prior to her appointment in 1982, Nigeria's work with UNESCO was under the direct supervision of the Nigerian embassy in France.

It was during her tenure that the US pulled out of the organization. Nigeria's position was said to be critical at that time as it was seen as representing Africa. She consistently lobbied the US to remain in UNESCO and urged member states to work for reforms within the organization instead of attempting to influence from outside.

Ambassador Attah was a member of the international panel that produced the report entitled 'In the Minds of Men', which the United Nations Association of the United States referred to recently as the country prepared to return to the fold, which it eventually did on the same day Omolewa was elected.

Former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Alhaji Aliyu Yahaya succeeded Ambassador Attah in 1986. He was elected President of the Executive Board of UNESCO in 1989, a position that Nigeria had coveted since 1978.

Former Adviser to President Ibrahim Babangida, Dr. Akinluyi succeeded Yahaya in 1993. His tenure 1993-1997 was a turbulent period for Nigeria. It was said that his quiet and effective diplomacy contributed to save Nigeria from being expelled from UNESCO when the Commonwealth suspended the country and other organizations were reluctant to invest their goodwill in the country. Akinluyi was also Chairman of the Africa Group in UNESCO.

It was for these good works that they were all invited to be part of conference, but unfortunately, only Akinluyi could make it.

And so the President of the 31st Session and Ambassador of Iran to UNESCO, Mr. Ahmad Jalali handed over to Omolewa that Monday morning to preside over what turned out to be a unique conference in many respects.

To start with, it had a record number of 3, 580 participants, including five Heads of State, three Vice Presidents, a First Lady and 299 ministers. The USA, which walked out of the organisation 19 years ago came back, so did Timor-Leste, bringing the number of members to 190 countries. As a matter of fact, one of Omolewa's tasks was to welcome American First Lady, Mrs. Laura Bush to address the conference.

The return of America means more money for the organisation. A real-growth budget of $610 million was adopted for 2004 - 2005. That, in fact was a major achievement of the conference.

Also very significant was the adoption of five standard setting instruments, including the International Convention on the Preservation of the Intangible Cultural heritage and the International Declaration of Human Genetic Data.

What the first means is that oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage, the performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive events as well as knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe and traditional craftsmanship, now have an international legal instrument to safeguard them through cooperation.

The second, on the other hand means, among other provisions, that every effort should be made to ensure that human genetic data and human preteomic data are not used for purposes that discriminate in a way that is intended to infringe, or has the effect of infringing human rights, fundamental freedoms of human dignity of an individual or for purposes that lead to the stigmatization of an individual, a family, or a group or communities. The President joined the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura to sign these conventions

Matsuura described the session as remarkable due to the importance of the subjects handled and the spirit in which it took place. He commended and congratulated Omolewa for the firm way he handled the session, "not devoid of humour." Indeed, humour is Prof. Omolewa's trademark.

Time is a very precious commodity at the conference, so Omolewa had prepared "a gift from the heart of Africa", a small artifact, which he presented through the ushers, to each speaker who did not exceed the eight-minute time allotted. At the expiration of eight minutes, a piece of music was played so all delegates knew when a speaker exceeded the time allotted to him or her. All that such a delegate got was a smile from the ushers.

When this happened to a delegate, Omolewa remarked, "... but since my dear delegate has chosen to listen to the music rather than collect the gift from the heart of Africa..."

What does the election mean in real terms to Nigeria? Getting Omolewa to grant an interview is not an easy task. He would rather have you "talk about my president and my minister. You know that they have been most supportive of our work."

But after the regional launch of the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD), the Chairman, working Group on Education of the Group of 77 of UNESCO eventually agreed to an interview at the International Conference Centre in Grand Baie, Mauritius.

His election, he said, should not be seen in terms of its benefit to Nigeria alone, but the whole of Africa, which he represents. His task, he said, is to see that Africa gets the maximum benefit of its membership of UNESCO.

According to him, "Africa is UNESCO's priority. The organisation is involved in massive teacher training and the design of appropriate curriculum for vocational and technical education. There is also the support for basic education. But we expect UNESCO to come out more forcefully to support the region.

"There is also the inscription of sites on the world Heritage List of which Nigeria has only one site to date. We trust the Lord that during the forthcoming biennium, Nigeria should get one additional site (probably Osun Oshogbo), which should boost tourism in the country. Other countries such as Kenya, Madagascar and Mauritius should also get listed. There is one for The Gambia, which is certain to get listed, while Ethiopia will get additional support for the protection of its site", Omolewa said.

When a site is inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, the preservation and maintenance of the site becomes organisation's responsibility. The benefits of this to the country where such site is located are many.

He went further, "we think that UNESCO should support NEPAD, so it has set up a NEPAD committee to ensure constant dialogue with NEPAD."

The President also confirmed that the organisation is going to increase its level of funding to African countries. Thanks to the new budget ceiling of $610 million.

But many believe that no country can develop with foreign aids.

Omolewa said, "it is true that no country can develop by foreign assistance. We have to be seen to be carrying the load. But we need assistance and if you look at the history of the continent, you will see that we deserve it as a moral right. People from outside have to come and assist us. It is in the best interest of the strong to support the weak. That marks the importance of UNESCO's role of facilitating partnership."

But what about conditionalities that enslave?

The man who has chaired the committee of the International NGOs of the Executive Board of UNESCO since 2001 said, "yes, you can be enslaved by conditionalities, but it is not every partner that wants something back, some are genuinely interested in helping and they do so."

The general belief is that the debt burden on Africa is the continent's fault, but Omolewa would not entirely agree to this. "Countries are trying. The imbalance in trade and exchange rate is a problem. African countries have to reestablish their independence and autonomy.

One what he has been doing since the end of the 32nd Session and the signing of the conventions, the President of the General Conference said he has met with the presidents of the six electoral groups for consultation on the composition of working group of experts to discuss the relationship between the three organs of governance of UNESCO.

He has presided over, as temporary chairman, according to the rules, the first meeting of the Executive Board to elect the Board's Chairperson and address the members of the Board.

He has also decided to continue with the Open Forum initiated by his predecessor to give space to those Delegates who are not members of the Executive Board to express themselves, informally, on issues of interest to the organisation.

The President has been busy trouble shooting too, using the advantage of his fluent French to the maximum. Two weeks before the interview, he was in Burundi, Rwanda, the Congo and other parts of the troubled region.

He said, "I spoke extensively to the various parties in the conflict in those places about the need to embrace dialogue. I made them understand that in conflict, we are all losers and in dialogue, we are all winners. It should not be difficult for Africa to embrace dialogue because we do not have the resources to keep any conflict going. We cannot afford a conflict because we need all the resources that we have and can get to fight poverty, illiteracy, malaria and HIV/AIDS", he concluded.