Alhaji Isa Ozi Salami OFR, FNIM, FIPM, FIMC, FNIIS

Biography

Alhaji Isa was born on 2nd June 1949 in Nagazi in Kogi state and attended Catholic School Ogaminana from 1955 to 1961 where he always topped the class academically. He gained admission to Government College Zaria (now Barewa College) in 1962 and finished in 1968 after clearing his WASC in Division One in 1966 and got the required principal passes in Higher School Certificate for direct admission for university degree course in 1968. He was a College Prefect and House Captain as well as Editor of the College magazine ‘The Barewa’ (1967 edition).He proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1969 and finished in 1972 with 2.1 in Business Administration after serving as president, Students Union and National Secretary of Moslem Students Society of Nigeria as well as National Vice President of National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) now NANS. He actively facilitated the take off of the first (but now defunct) Community Bank in both Kwara and Kogi States even though he was not a stakeholder.Ozi Salami is known for his patriotism, principles, selflessness and indefatigable contribution to national progress in various spheres.

Career

In former Kwara State, he contributed immensely to the initiation and overall success of the defunct Kwara State Industrial Trust Fund. He was Secretary of Kaduna Chapter of the Launching Committee for the Fund which recorded unprecedented attendance and collection. As Chairman, Board of Directors of Gateway Insurance Company, he resuscitated the then ailing Company, invigorated the management and returned it to profitability through expansion of its marketing base within two years.Alhaji Isa was appointed Chairman Mobilization Committee for Lagos Zone for the launching of Kogi State Foundation after serving earlier as Chairman of a subcommittee of the ad hoc committee which examined the desirability or otherwise of the fund and was subsequently appointed a member of the Board of Trustees on inception by the Kogi State Government.At different times he was a member of Board of Trustees of Kokori Abdul Memorial Foundation, Okene, Oba Akanmode Foundation Aiyetoro-Gbede(Ijumu LGA of Kogi State) as well as Ebira Moslem College, Okengwe and Moslem College Babanloma, Kwara State. These nominal appointments bear eloquent testimonies to his honesty and public credibility.At the Nigerian Paper Mill Jebba where he was Chief Executive for five years, he nigerianised the technical echelons and top management of the company to the pride and commendation of then Federal Military Government of President Babangida. The production of the Company increased in volume and quality to the delight of its customers and clients thus enhancing the profitability and liquidity to the point the Company won International Awards and unsolicited commendation from the World Bank for its uniqueness and laudable achievements in industrial relations, backward integration and purposeful management.His tenure in both Arewa Textiles Ltd and Peugeot Automobile (Nig.) Ltd was very remarkable. It is on record that the companies witnessed unparalleled high staff morale and low staff turnover with no single incident of industrial unrest. The companies’ production peaked respectively.As a professional manager, he was elected National Vice Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), National Vice President, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) and First National President, Institute of Management Consultants (IMC), at various times. Alhaji Isa has been elected FELLOW of the three institutes based on merit and outstanding contributions to their activities.At home, Alhaji Isa was turbaned as Ohi-Otenyete of Ebiraland by the late Ohinoyi of Ebiraland while Adavi Youth Council conferred him as its Life Patron in addition to giving him its Merit Award. Earlier while in secondary school, he won the Etsu Nupe Gold Medal for coming first in the Broadcasting Group of Northern Nigerian Festival of Arts and Culture in Kaduna in 1965. Hewon the Zonal prize of the Young Managers Competition of Nigerian Institute of Management. The Kogi State Government under Col. Aniebo awarded him a plaque of distinction to mark the 7th Anniversary of the creation of the state on 31st August, 1998, where the state Government observed that his patriotic contributions to the evolution of contemporary Kogi State gave a new lease of life to our people and was worthy of profound acknowledgement.As Chairman, Governing Council, National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), he provided focused leadership which motivated the organization to impact positively in the encouragement and promotion of technical and vocational education. NABTEB witnessed tremendous improvement in enrolment.He was Chairman, Governing Council of Centre for Management Development where his legacies are still visible and outstanding.He was appointed an Honourable Member of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as well as Hon Member, African Union Advisory Board on Anti-Corruption (AUABC) in Arusha,Tanzania. In recognition of his unique commitment to the ideals of continental crusade against corruption & his versatile expertise he represented the Advisory Board on the Committee of Experts that conducted the 2nd Country Review of Kenya under the auspices of African Peer Review Mechanism. The Authority of Heads of State and Governments of African Union commended the panel in writing on receiving and considering the outcome of the exercise. He is still National President and Fellow of the Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security(NIIS) with secretariat in Lagos.He has published over 20 articles in high profile magazines, journals and newspapers. As an accomplished Management Consultant, he has continued to be appointed Chairman of over a dozen ad hoc panels of relevant experts and regulators by the Federal Ministry of Environment to evaluate the Environmental Impact Assessment Reports for proposed projects & industries in different parts of the Country. He was a former Board Member of both the defunct New Nigerian Newspapers and its subsidiary Newpack Ltd Kaduna as well as Nigerian Television Authority.After the expiration of his tenure in ICPC, the Commission while marking its 20th anniversary in 2020 awarded him a Certificate of Appreciation for his meritorious service. Both the Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA) and the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and its Abuja Alumni Association branch have given him awards at different occasions.Alhaji Isa is currently the member representing Kogi State in the Governing Council of the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) with headquarters in Minna.