April 25th, 2023 will go down in history as a watershed point in international politics, particularly in Nigeria. The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) celebrated the formal opening and commissioning of the General Leo Irabor Early Warning Systems Centre on this historic day.
An array of notable dignitaries flew into the country and traveled across states to attend the event, which took place at the NIIA conference chamber. Minister for Foreign Affairs, represented by the Director of African Union Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maxy Ogbede; Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor; Chief Julius Adelusi, Prince Adewole Adebayo, Prof. Remi Aiyede, Segun Odegbami, and many others were among the notable invitees.
Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, Director General of NIIA, gave welcoming remarks in which he explained the origins of the Early Warning Systems, stating that an Early Warning Systems (EWS) center is a facility responsible for detecting, monitoring, and providing timely warnings of potential hazards or disasters. This center monitors natural and man-made risks using a variety of technologies and data sources, including sensors, satellites, and weather models. He emphasized the need of having an early warning systems center, adding that the project was inspired by the need for early detection of threats, shorter response time, better decision making, cost savings, and higher resilience.
Professor Remi Aiyede of the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, offered the keynote address, stating that the Early Warning Systems Centre (EWSC) will be a critical tool in developing the Nigerian economy and proper decision making. He boldly declared that the utilization of the advanced analytical tools and procedures available at the center will be critical in spotting developing risks and hazards to NIIA operations before they become more significant issues.
General Leo Irabor cut the ribbon on the EWSC, officially commissioning the project to commence full operation. He urged everyone to work together, and he anticipates big results from the center, which will be overseen by Director General, NIIA, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, promising that the center will live up to its full potential of being a more proactive and strategic approach to risk management, assisting you to identify and respond to potential threats before they become serious problems.
