The Gusau Institute

Ambassador Ahmed Magaji, who holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Political Science and International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), spent his entire working career in the Nigerian Foreign Service (1981-2016) where he served duty tours in Jeddah, Nairobi, Rome, London and São Tomé. He was Deputy Head of Mission at the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia (2010-2011), and Nigeria’s Ambassador to São Tomé and Príncipe (2011-2016).

From 2006-2010, he served as Director of Research and Analysis in the Presidency in Nigeria during which period he also served on the board of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Ambassador Magaji currently serves on the boards of several Nigerian and foreign companies as well as in an advisory capacity to some Nigerian and foreign institutions.

Mr. Eluem Emeka Izeze, a fellow of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, is the immediate past managing director/editor-in-chief of Guardian Newspapers Limited in Lagos, Nigeria. He studied mass communication at the University of Lagos, and also holds a Master of Arts degree in the same discipline from the University of Leicester, England. He studied business management at the prestigious Lagos Business School, and obtained a certificate in strategic leadership at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, in England. He also undertook a course in leadership and development at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.

Brigadier-General Saleh Bala (Rtd) is the Chief Executive Officer of White Ink Consult, a private defence and security research, strategic communications and training consultancy firm based in Abuja, Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria (1982) and a Master’s Degree in International Peace Studies from the University for Peace, San José, Costa Rica (2006,) and another Master’s Degree in National Security Strategy from the National Defence University, National War College, Washington, DC (2009). He is a distinguished honour graduate of the Special Forces Detachment Officers Qualification Course (1991), John F. Kennedy, United States Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and an alumnus of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law, Sanremo, Italy, International Refugee Law Course (2010) and also a member of the institute’s Training Advisory Group. He is also a resource associate of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Washington, DC and the Africa Institute for Strategic and Security Studies, Alexandria, Virginia, USA respectively.

Abubakar started his career as a professional in the field of Taxation and Small and Medium Enterprises, but moved on to pursue a military career as an officer in the Nigeria Army, where he served for 14 years before retiring voluntarily in 2001. Major Yusuf then returned to consulting in strategic management, business policy formulation and client service delivery. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He also successfully completed the IBBI Diploma Course in Islamic Banking and Insurance, and he is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, and an associate fellow of the Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance, London.

Marlene worked for the South African government for 15 years from 1986-2001. During the time of her active duty she was stationed at the South African embassy in Washington, DC from 1994-1999. She resigned in 2001 to work as a freelance political risk consultant. She initially worked for the Western Cape Provincial Administration in Cape Town, and then intermittently in Nigeria from 2006. She has been working at the Gusau Institute and living full-time in Kaduna, Nigeria since March 2011.