Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Profile Of Geoffery Oyeama, Nigeria's New Minister Of Foreign Affairs


Date of Birth:
February 2, 1956

Nationality
Nigerian

State
Enugu

Family status
Married with three children
Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Political Science, Columbia University (Columbia College),
New York, USA, (1977)

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Law, Cambridge University (St. John’s College), Cambridge,
United Kingdom (1980)

Master of Laws (LL.M), Law, University of London (London School of Economics and Political
Science (LSE), London, United Kingdom (1982)

Master of Arts (MA), Law, Cambridge University (St. John’s College), Cambridge,
United Kingdom (1984)

Academic Recognition

Dean’s List of Columbia College, Columbia University, New York, USA
Professional Qualification

Barrister-at-law, Gray’s Inn, London, United Kingdom (1981)

Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Nigerian Law School, Lagos,
Nigeria (1983)

Work Experience

Research Officer, Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Lagos, Nigeria,
(1983-1984)

Law Practitioner, Mogboh and Associates, Enugu, Nigeria (1984-1985)

1985 to present
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

1985-1986 - Assistant Program Officer, Development Cooperation and External
Relations, Bureau for Africa and Western Asia
(The Bureau was renamed the Development Cooperation and External Relations Bureau for
Africa at the end of 1985)

1986-1990 - Program Officer, Development Cooperation and External Relations
Bureau for Africa

1990-1996 - Senior Program Officer, Development Cooperation and External
Relations Bureau for Africa

1996-1998 - Senior Counsellor, Development Cooperation and External Relations
Bureau for Africa
(The Bureau was renamed the Cooperation for Development Bureau for Africa at the end of
1997)

1998 - Deputy Director, Cooperation for Development Bureau for Africa

1998-1999 - Acting Director, Cooperation for Development Bureau for Africa
(The Bureau was renamed the Economic Development Bureau for Africa at the end of 2003)

1999-2006 - Director, Cooperation for Development Bureau for Africa

2006-2009 - Assistant Director General, Coordination Sector for External Relations, Industry, Communications and Public Outreach. Responsible for: coordinating relations with United Nations (UN) organizations, other intergovernmental organizations, industry, non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and responsible for communication, public outreach, media relations and gender focal point.
* In this capacity, initiated, in 2008, with the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO), the process within WIPO that culminated in the adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled

2006-2012 Responsible, during various periods, for the WIPO External Offices in Brussels, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C