FADE (Fight Against Desert Encroachment) Africa is a Non-Governmental Organization, founded by Dr. Newton Jibunoh in May 2000 (incorporated 2002). The organization which is accredited by the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development has been at the forefront of the efforts in combating environmental degradation in Africa.
As an organization, FADE Africa remains committed to providing platforms that would give Africa the opportunity to analyze its environmental problems and develop strategies to address them.
Dr. Newton Jibunoh, OON, the founder of FADE is popularly known as the Desert-Warrior. He has crossed the Sahara Desert from Lagos to London three times; twice as solo efforts and once in the company of five other warriors.
FADE Africa is presently accredited by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum and endorsed by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). It currently has working partnerships with Lagos, Delta, Ogun, Kano and Jigawa State governments.
FADE Africa is also in partnership with the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) on the bridging and greening of the Sahara desert. A special purpose vehicle known as the Nigerian Society of Engineers – Taming African Deserts (NSE-TAD) to drive the project has been established and the Governing Council and Boards inaugurated.
FADE Africa is made up of skilled and seasoned professionals with collective proven track records in strategic analysis, project and programme management, building and construction, environmental management, agro-forestry and community development.
Born into the Royal family of Kano, Prince Nasir Bayero holds a B.A Honours degree in Mass Communication as a well as a Certificate in German Language.
He has over 21 years multidisciplinary experience obtained from stints at various levels and capacities in both the private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy from banking to oil and gas as well as policy development.
Nasir Bayero had a short stint at Continental Merchant Bank before moving abroad to work in the oil and banking sectors at Coastal Corporation (Oil & Gas Company), Houston and Hamlet Investment, Inc, London respectively. Upon his return, he worked at The Presidency in Abuja, Nigeria.
Urbane and well-traveled, Nasir, is a member of the boards of Intel (Oilfield) Services Nig. Ltd, Barton Bay Nig. Ltd and Sofitel Hotel Abuja, amongst others. He is also District Head of Nassarawa in Kano State.
Dr. Jibunoh, a Ph.D. holder from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Universty Awka and the University of Benin, has successfully driven across the Sahara Desert three times based on his undying thirst to bring attention to the ravaging effects of the Sahara and resultant impact on neighboring communities. His background is in Engineering with a specialization in Soil Mechanics.
He worked for the Costain Group where he rose to Chairman/CEO, a position he held for 16 years. He is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of builders (NIOB), with over thirty-five (35) years’ experience in the building and construction industry. He has also acquired over forty (40) years of relevant experience in Environment, where he has carried out various research themed visits and survey works on desertification, including a 3-month study visit to the Ben-Gurion University at Negev Israel where he acquired training on “desertology” and went on a study tour to the Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering Research Institute in China.
He was also part of a team that was sponsored by the United States Consular Office in Abuja for a 2-week course at the University of Arizona. He is a member of the federal government’s delegate to Climate change conferences haven taken part in conferences held in Bangkok, Copenhagen and more recently Cancun. He is an Emeritus Ambassador of Environment for Lagos state. Some of his research work and findings have been documented in his books, “Me, My Desert and I” and “Bridging The Sahara Desert”.
Edith Jibunoh is a founding member of Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE).
She is presently an adviser in the Global Engagement team of the World Bank's External and Relations Unit. In this role, she will lead the institutions' engagement with global civil society and foster strategic partnerships based on shared values and priorities.
Prior to joining the Bank, Edith was the Global Policy Director at the ONE Campaign in Washington D.C with oversight of the organizations' policy programs in Health, Agriculture, Transparency, and Accountability; and Energy. She also served as its Director of Multilateral Institutions and as Senior Manager of African Outreach.
Prior to ONE, Edith worked as an Economist in the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on the MDGs in Nigeria and as Adviser to Minister of Finance.
She is an Archbishop Desmond Tutu African Leadership Fellow, and a member the African Leadership Network.
Mr. Abdul-Azeez Abba is a veteran with over thirty-nine (39) years of experience in agriculture and environmental issues. He has served as Permanent Secretary in various Ministries (Agriculture, Local Government, Civil Service Commission, Commerce, Cabinet Office and Deputy Governor’s Office with Kano State Government from 1993 to 2010. Amongst his notable feats was his ability to control periodic outbreaks of crop pests in Kano by securing assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the British Overseas Development Administration (ODA), now DFID, in his capacity as the Chairman of the State Consultative Committee/Task Force on Pest Control.
Mr. Abba has a portfolio of many firsts: He was the first indigenous Programme Manager of the World Bank assisted Agricultural and Rural Development Project. He was also the first indigenous Managing Director of the State-owned World Bank assisted Agricultural Supply Company Ltd (KASCO).
He established and effectively managed the first Government-owned Fertilizer Blending Plant in Nigeria. Then he served on the Board of Directors of the New Nigerian Development Company Ltd. As well as chaired the Committee on the Revitalization of the Operations of the Kano State Computer Centre in July 1998.
He joined FADE in 2004 as the Project Coordinator, for the organizations' many projects before he was appointed Trustee/Director FADE Board of Trustees in October 2012.
He was also the lead consultant for Kano Rice Marketing Research conducted for PrOpCom/DfID in 2010. Mr Abba has been instrumental to the training of a number of women from Niger Republic and some scientists from the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) on Moringa and Neem value addition.
Over the course of his career, he has written a number of feasibility studies/business plans on fertilizer blending, poultry production, orchard establishment, oil milling, crop production and so on.
He retired in July 2010 and is now Chairman/Prime Consultant in ASCAS Integrated Agricultural Concept Ltd.
Akin Olukiran holds an M.Sc degree in Voluntary Sector Organization from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a BSc Honours degree in Political Science from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife.
Presently, he acts as FADE’s representative in the United Kingdom and coordinates the European activities of the Foundation, including strategic alliances, fundraising strategy and strategic change management. He has over 15 years’ senior management experience in the voluntary sector in the United Kingdom.
As the Chief Executive Officer of CAPS Nig Ltd (Complete Africa Philanthropy Solutions) with a passion for building the capacity of voluntary and community sector organizations (NGOs), he has a wealth of experience in the leadership and management of charities, fundraising and capacity building initiatives.
In the social welfare sector, he has held various executive level positions including the Chief Executive of Disability in Camden (DISC), CEO of CultureLink UK Ltd and he was at various times in the past, Head of Finance and IT of a large social housing provider (SHP) and in the late 90s as Executive Director (later as Chair of the Board) of Adzido Pan African Dance Ensemble, then the largest black arts group in Europe.
Ambassador Olukanni graduated from the University of Ife (now OAU) in 1979 with a first degree in Bsc Social Sciences (Political Science). He joined the Nigerian Diplomatic service in July 1980 after his National Youth Service in Jos Plateau State. His first diplomatic posting from 1982 to 1983, was to the Nigerian Embassy Brussels Belgium, which also serves as the Nigerian Mission to the European Union between.
After his initial posting, Amb Olukanni went on to serve the country in different diplomatic capacities. From 2003-2007, Ambassador Olukanni was in Nairobi and served as Acting High Commissioner to Kenya with concurrent accreditation to Seychelles and Ag Permanent Representative to United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlement Programme(UNHABITAT). On his return to Nigeria, in April 2007, he was appointed Director Public Communications and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In August 2010, he moved to the Embassy/Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN in Vienna to serve as Charge D’Affaires and Acting Permanent Representative to the International Atomic 2 Energy Agency (IAEA,)
He was appointed Ambassador in February 2011 while serving in Vienna and posted to Canberra, Australia. From July 2011 to March 2015, he was Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Australia with con-current accreditation to New Zealand, Fiji Papua New-Guinea and Pacific Island of Vanuatu. He returned home from Australia in mid March 2015 to retire from the Foreign Service on attainment of age 60. He is married to Mrs. Oluyemisi Olukanni and they have three daughters and a grandson. He is a passionate environmentalist and currently serves as the Vice-chairman of an environment NGO, Fight Against Desert Encroachment, (FADE). He is also a cultural enthusiast who loves poetry and the theatre for transformative development. He is also an avid golfer.
He has an MSc in Geology and PGD in Petroleum Engineering. A consultant with experience in hydrogeology, construction, and environmental management, Mr. Aligbe is an Engineer and the former Deputy Managing Director of Costain West Africa, a position he held for 7yrs.
He has over 20 years of experience in the building and development industry as well as consultancy in Nigeria. He is also a Consultant to FADE on issues of Geophysical surveys and general environmental development. He is an excellent team player and a good manager of people.
He is also computer savvy and works very well with most operating software.