Board Of Trustees
Dr. Kechi Ogbuagu (President/Founder)
Dr. Kechi Ogbuagu is the President and Founder of “Conversations for Change”. A public health physician for over 35 years, she holds an MPH degree from the University of Leeds, UK; a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery, and is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians. She retired from the United Nations, as the Global Coordinator of the Global Programme to Enhance Reproductive Health Commodity Security at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in New York. In this role, she led a global health portfolio which focused on supporting and providing resources for sexual and reproductive health programmes in many countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. She was also the Co-Lead of the FP2020 Country Engagement (CE) Working Group, and in this capacity worked with a very wide range of partners to support countries in implementing their family planning programmes and in meeting their commitments to Family Planning.
She is also the Chief Executive Officer of Pistis-K Consulting, a dynamic consulting firm, providing strategic, programmatic and technical support to countries and agencies in the area of population and development, sexual and reproductive health/rights, and family planning. She was a Member of the Advisory Board of MAMA (Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action). An international NGO that works to engage the global community to deliver vital health information to new and expectant mothers through mobile phones.
She was recently appointed the Chair of the UNFPA Senior Advisory Board on Family Planning and other related areas of UNFPA Mandate.
She was the Head of the Department of Community Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe, University, Nigeria and for many years passionately taught and mentored young medical students and professionals as they struggled to achieve their dreams, goals and ambitions. This passion continued to drive her efforts during her years of work in the United Nations and has culminated in her putting in place this strong and vibrant platform, “Conversations ….for Change’ to support young people in becoming valuable partners in national and world development. She has won numerous awards for service and philanthropy including the award of “The Outstanding Medical Woman of the Near East and Africa Region”, by the International Association of Medical Women (MWIA) in 2000; and the Merit Award of the College of Medicine of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
Ambassador Joy Ogwu -Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR)
Uche Joy Angela Ogwu has recently retired as Ambassador/Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the United Nations. She served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2006 – 2007).
In her professional capacity as Professor of Political Science and International Relations, she served as the First Female Director-General of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Think-Tank - The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) (2001-2006). In January 2002, she was appointed by Kofi Annan as Member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters. She became the First African female Chair of the Board. As a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on International Relations from October 2000-2006, she contributed to the advancement of Nigeria’s foreign policy and has written extensively on foreign policy issues. Her first book, Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: Alternative Futures, published by Macmillan (1986), became a classic for the study of foreign policy in Nigeria’s institutions of higher learning. Among her numerous honours, Professor Ogwu was conferred with an award of OFR - Officer of the Federal Republic; for exemplary contribution to Nigeria.
She served as the First President of the First Executive Board of the newly-created entity, UN Women - United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women. She was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General BAN Ki-moon to serve as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) from 1st January, 2010 to January 1st 2016. On 1st of January, 2014, she unprecedentedly led Nigeria’s delegation to the UN Security Council for the second successive time. In this phenomenal capacity, she has served previously as President of the Security Council four times – first in the month of July 2010; October 2011; April 2014 and August 2015, making her the 1st Ambassador of the Elected Member States of the Security Council to set such a record. Since 2008, she has served as Chair of the Special Committee of Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) and was re-elected for the seventhconsecutive time on 16 February, 2016. In 2011, she was elected the First African President of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons. Following numerous intensive consultations across the world, she led the 193 Member States of the UN in September 2012 to adopt a landmark Consensus Outcome Document. This momentous achievement has been widely acclaimed as a major diplomatic accomplishment for Nigeria, Africa and humanity. A book, on this accomplishment, titled, The Anatomy of a Consensus was released in December 2015.
She has been honored with various awards namely; the “Spirit of the United Nations Award” and “UN Ambassador’s Biblical Values Award” by the National Bible Association for her modest contributions to the service of God and humanity. In all these endeavours, Prof Ogwu glorifies God and stands as a light to the young generations.
Mrs. Carol Ndaguba -Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)
Mrs. Carol Ndaguba has been a lawyer for over 40 years. After a brilliant legal career in Nigeria, where she served as Legal Adviser to various Ministries (Finance, Transport, Mines and Power and Police Affairs), she was appointed the Federal Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Nigeria in 2003.
In August 2003, she was appointed the First Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP), an Agency created by the Government of Nigeria to fight trafficking of persons, especially women and children, in response to the PALERMO Convention. The Agency under her leadership became an instant success; being one of it’s kind in the world. Within a spate of 5 years, it’s landmark achievements were evident nationally and internationally.
In addition to her various achievements above, Ms. Ndaguba has served in various other distinguished capacities, including: Chair of the Transparency Monitoring Unit in the Federal Ministry of Transport, 2000-2003; Legal Counsel in the Judicial Tribunal of Enquiry into the Affairs of Ministry of Commerce and Industry, 1984-1985; and Prosecutor in the Public Officer Corrupt Practices Tribunal, 1990-1991.She is a Fellow of the International Institute of leadership and Governance; and a Member of the International Dispute Resolution Institute (IDRI), London.
She is a current Member of the Board of Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF) and for her service to this organisation was accorded the Stewardship Award of Excellence.
Ms. Carol Ndaguba is also the recipient of other numerous national and international awards and recognitions. She was awarded the Children’s National Merit Award in 2006; was inducted into the Public Service Hall of Fame on the 9th of June 2006; and again in 2006, was accorded the Federal Government of Nigeria prestigious Officer of the Order of the Niger Award (OON), in recognition of her numerous achievements in the country.
us.
Prof. Uche Amazigo -Prince Mahidol 2012 Laureate in Public Health
Professor Uche Amazigo is the Founder and CEO of Pan-African Community Initiative on Education and Health (PACIEH) ─ an NGO coordinating a new Public-Private Partnership on community-managed school health and feeding. PACIEH’s work has improved the health and nutritional status of school-age children, increased attendance and access to primary education in resource poor settings.
Professor Amazigo is one of the few female Africans to head a UN Agency. She is a public health specialist and has devoted most of her academic, public and international career to the control of neglected tropical diseases. Her pioneering discovery of the social isolation, suffering and disability caused by River blindness skin disease in adolescent girls in Nigeria fundamentally changed international perceptions of River blindness. Her work contributed to the creation of the World Health Organization African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (WHO/APOC) in 1995.
Professor Amazigo retired from the UN as WHO/APOC Director in 2011. She is a Trustee of Sightsavers, UK and The TY Danjuma Foundation, and serves as advisor to several global Boards. She is Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and a Knight of the National Order of Burkina Faso. She is a recipient of several Awards. In 2013, she received honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and won the highly competitive and prestigious Prince Mahidol Award 2012 in Public Health.
Mrs Chinny Anugo,
- (MSC, Beng)
Chinny Anugo is a digital marketer, content marketing expert and all-round digital enthusiast. She's currently the global web content manager for Pitney Bowes Inc, in New York, a global technology company crafting innovative products and solutions that help clients “get it right” in the complex world of commerce. Chinny oversees and executes the web marketing strategy of their shipping and mailing division across 20 markets and 3 regions. She has also held responsibilities as European Content Strategy Manager, Digital Tactical Marketing Executive and Digital Marketing Specialist. Chinny is an advocate of using quality, informative and engaging content to build relationships and drive effective results/change.
Chinny received her Masters in Engineering Business Management (MSC) from University of Warwick, in UK, in 2006. Prior to this she earned a Bachelors of Engineering Degree (Beng) in Electronic and Computer Systems Engineering at Loughborough University, UK, in 2004, where her interest in technology was fostered and grown.
Chinny was nominated as a finalist for 'The Salesperson of the Year' in the UK National Sales Awards 2010. She was also nominated by her peers and awarded by Pitney Bowes for the 'Make a difference' awards in June 2010. An award conferred to her for going over and beyond to address client needs and improve their experience with the company.
Chinny Ogbuagu is deeply interested and committed to C4C and she brings a powerful, important and refreshingly youthful perspective to the discussions and affairs of the Board.
Prof. Echendu Dolly Adinma
An Associate Professor and Consultant Public Health Physician, at the Department of Community Medicine of Nnamdi Azikiwe University & Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria. She holds an MPH degree; a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery, and is a Fellow of both the West African College of Physicians (WACP), and the Nigerian National Postgraduate Medical College (NPMC); and Member, Faculty of Public Health (MFPH) of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of United Kingdom.
As a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Consultant on Reproductive Health Commodity Security Expert, she has done consultancy services for Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria, UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), West African Health Organization (WAHO), etc. She is a member of Nigeria Country Task Team for Federal Ministry of Health, and Federal Ministry of Environment, respectively; and currently the Chairman of Faculty of Community Health WACP.
She serves as an Examiner for both National Postgraduate Medical College and West African College of Physicians for the postgraduate programmes at Part I and Part II Final Fellowship examinations, as well as External Examiner in Community Medicine for some local Medical Schools. She has also been member of postgraduate accreditation team for residency training in Public Health for some Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria. Presently she has a total of 51 publications in learned national and international Journals, and in addition has a total of four chapters in Book chapter contributions, eight Technical Reports, and has made 32 conference presentations. She has attended 46 local and international conferences.
Prof Echendu Adinma has held positions in the Executive Council of professional bodies including Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) for which she was the National President; Nigeria Medical Association (NMA); Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), and Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN).
Management Team
Dr Kechi Ogbuagu - President/Founder
Jonathan Chagga Lead, Entrepreneurship Initiative
Anya Urum Ukah ICT and Website Communications Manager
Joan Musa Omehi Logistics & Accounting Officer
Benedict Gabriel Media Officer