President and Founder
President and Founder of the Leadership Institute, Amb Prof Iyorwuese Hagher, a second Republic Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Federal Minister of state Power and Steel and Federal Minister of State for Health. He was a member of the 1994-95 Constitutional Conference and the immediate past Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, former Ambassador of Nigeria to Mexico with concurrent accreditation to Panama, Costa-Rica and Guatemala. He rose to the position of Professor of Drama after more than two decades of research and teaching in the Amadu Bello University Zaria and the University of Jos, Nigeria. He has written several books and plays which are products of practical experience and research.
Career
- 1971 admitted to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
- 1974 received Bachelor of Arts, honour degree in English
- 1977 received Master’s Degree in Drama and 1981 Doctor of Philosophy degree then became Pioneer staff of Centre for Nigerian Cultural Studies and Drama Department at the Ahmadu Bello University
- 1983-Elected to the Nigerian Senate serving as Deputy Chief Whip
- 1990-became Prof. of Theatre and Drama for Development
- 1994-95-Elected as member of the Constitutional Conference
- 1995-98-Appointed as Minister of State for Power and Steel and for Health
- 2000-Established the Leadership Institute
- 2001-2002 – negotiated peace in the ethnic clashes that took place in Central Nigeria
- 2003-awarded the National Honour for his contributions in the Arts, peace and development as officer of the order of the Niger, OON.
- 2004-2007 Ambassador to Mexico
- 2008-2012 Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada
As Ambassador, he initiated the Friends of Nigeria project, by working closely with eminent personalities in Canada and Mexico previously conversant with Nigeria. He also promoted citizenship and cultural diplomacy with Nigerians in the Diaspora. Poet and politician, dramatist and diplomat, author and advocate, he continues on his mission to bring about a better world in general and a better Nigeria in particular. Through diplomacy, the art of drama and literature or with each single conversation, his passion is to facilitate positive change in each situation. Professor Iyorwuese Hagher gladly carries the awesome responsibility of effecting progressive reform within the global community.
Published Works
- Nigeria after the Nightmare: University Press of America, Published by University Press of America, 2011
- A Day in Mexico and Other Poems. Published by Textstream, 2009
- Leading Africa out of Chaos, A God Centred Approach to Leadership. Published by Spectrum Books Limited, 2002.
- Beyond hate and violence. Published by Spectrum Books Limited, 2004
- Weapons of Mass Instruction Selected Speeches and Essays on Politics, Art and Leadership, Published by Spectrum books 1994.
- Once upon an eagle
- The Travails of James Skott
- The Tiv Kwagh-Hir: a popular Nigerian puppet theatre. Published by Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, 1990
- The Kwagh-Hir Theatre: (A metaphor of resistance) Published by Caltop Publications, 2003.
- The Prisoner’s dream, Published by Leadership Production, 2002.
- Global Home and Other Plays
- The Masquerade and the Elephant
- The Professor and the Cathedral: A Play, Published by Leadership Production, 2002.
- Aishatu and Other Plays, Published by Victory Tutorial Press, 1987.
- Comrade and Voltage, with other plays. Published by Caltop Publications, 1996
- Lifetimes: a play, Published by JVC Press, 1999.Theatre, politics, and social consciousness in Nigeria: celebration of the dramaturgy of Iyorwuese Hagher. Published by Leadership Production Press, 2002.
- Theatre and stage-craft in Nigeria, Published by SBC, Supreme Black Communications, 2000.
- Modern Kwagh-hir Stories for the Young, Published by Y books, 1987.
For more information on the founder, visit his website, hagher.com.