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An information management expert, Oyedokun A. Oyewole, has emphasised the role the field can play in national development, calling on the Nigerian government to take advantage of the presence of the Institute of Information Management (IIM) Africa in the country.
Oyewole, who is the president and chairman, Governing Council of IIM Africa, made the call during the 2018 annual lecture, induction and awards ceremony of the Institute held at the University of Lagos recently.
While speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the event, Oyewole observed that Nigeria still has a long way to go when it comes to managing information, adding, however, that the presence of the Institute in the country was a huge blessing.
He said the Institute was doing a lot to sensitise the populace and also ensure that professionals responsible for managing information and records in various organisations are kept abreast of technology and trends in the information management world.
“Information management is required by government, and when it comes to policy formulation, when it comes to implementation of government plans and programmes, information plays a pivotal role,” Oyewole said.
The 10th annual lecture/induction ceremony, with the theme ‘Digital Right Management, Business Technology and Barrier to Information Access’, saw the induction of new members into different membership grades, namely, Graduate, Associate, Professional, Senior Professional, Fellow, Honorary Fellow and Corporate.
The event also witnessed the inauguration of the new Governing Council of the Institute, the Performance Monitoring Committee and the IIM Africa Advisory Board.
Earlier in his opening speech, Oyewole said the Institute has within the last couple of years continued to grow from strength to strength across the globe and pledged to make the Institute “more centric, open and closer to every member, irrespective of race or gender”.
“As a re-elected president of this great Institute, my immediate task and priority still remains a focal point for giving the Institute a purposeful leadership by dwelling more on the priorities of the legislative agenda for a better and restructured Governing Council,” Oyewole said.
While calling for the cooperation of every member, he emphasized the need for team work and the pursuit of a common goal, saying the challenges ahead would only spur the organisation to achieve its desired result.
He also urged newly inducted members of the Institute not to lose sight of the responsibility that their new status imposes on them but to exhibit a high sense of integrity, character and professionalism in service at all times.
The IIM Africa annual lecture is designed as a platform where citizens and professionals in the field of information management can have the opportunity to learn best practices, understand the trends in the industry and also sensitise the populace on the need for proper management and security of records and information, he said.
Other programmes for the day included the presentation of awards by the Institute, in collaboration with the Records and Information Management Awareness (RIMA) Foundation, to deserving members for their steadfastness, belief, and contribution to the Institute and the information management industry as a whole.
CHUKS OLUIGBO
