By Ebi Evinson
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!On Saturday, April 29, 2023 in the Federal Capital City of Abuja, a historic event took place. It was the Inauguration/Investiture ceremony of Dr. James Neminebor, a Bayelsan, as the 13th National President of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN).
On that beautiful and memorable day, not only was the ANAN flag hoisted in honour of Dr. James Neminebor but the flags of Bayelsa State and that of the Ijaw Nation also fluttered in respect of their illustrious son. It was an event that was laced with so much grandeur, glamour and splendor. Indeed, it was a ceremony that attracted the creme-de-la-creme of the society, particularly, Accountants and their allied professionals. And because the man of the moment is an Ijaw son, who has distinguished himself in his chosen profession, the Ijaw Nation was effectively represented at the event by no less a personality than the President of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Benjamin Okaba. The event also underscored the fact that the Ijaw man, given equal opportunities and privileges, can effectively compete with his peers from other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.
There is a witty Chinese proverb that says, the journey of a thousand miles begin with the critical first step. The journey of Dr. Neminebor in ANAN started 28 years ago when he registered as a member of this professional body in 1995. Out of the 28 years he has spent in ANAN so far, the last 14 years were as a Council member, culminating in his becoming the president in 2023.
Thus, his steady and meteoric rise to the zenith of ANAN has not been a walk in the park but absolute dedication and commitment to the ideals of service and excellence. And in the course of his sojourn in ANAN, he has held so many critical positions, including being an Executive Council member, beginning in 2015 as the Membership Secretary. This actually, was the commencement of his ascension to the coveted ANAN throne.
As the thirteenth president of ANAN, Dr. Neminebor went philosophical and spiritual while making his acceptance speech, following his investiture. According to him, the number 13, indicates a new beginning, stating essentially that 13 means first after one dozen, promising that ANAN in his tenure will wear a new corporate outlook and a new vigour in the pursuit of its core values and visions.
In a similar vein, Prof. Benjamin Osisioma, the Immediate-Past President of ANAN in his valedictory speech, equally went religious when he quoted Paul in 2nd Timothy 4: 7 in the Bible, where it was stated that “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” No doubt, Prof. Osisioma had fought a good fight as he had handed over a better, stronger and well-positioned ANAN to Dr. Neminebor. However, he also gave a caveat that succeeding administrations of ANAN should endeavour to ensure that the ancient landmarks of ANAN that were put in place by the founding fathers are not tampered with but cherished. These include; ensuring that the Nigerian College of Accountancy continues to exist, continuing the rigorous professional training programmes of ANAN as well as maintaining the existing succession line in ANAN that is devoid of bickerings and maintaining the religious and ethnic balance. These are hortatory words coming from an elder, with the benefit of hindsight which the new helmsman of ANAN must bear at heart always.
Dr. Neminebor was born in 1958 in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He has a Higher National Diploma, Bachelor of Science degree, both in Accounting and a Master’s of Business Administration (Management) degree, all from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port-Harcourt. In view of his career goals and aspirations, he finally climaxed his educational pursuits with Master’s and doctoral degrees in Accounting from the Anambra State University, Awka between 2016 and 2020.
It is also interesting to note that Dr. Neminebor has not only limited his life to the practice of Accounting. He has also been serving in the Rotary Family. He is a Rotarian of very high standing, having served as President of the Rotary Club of Yenagoa and Assistant Governor, District 9140 of Rotary International in Nigeria and also the current President of the Yenagoa Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.
He is also a recognized personality in traditional circles as he is a High Chief of Tuomo and Kerebiri- Mein Kingdoms of Delta State. He is married with children.
We wish Dr. James Neminebor, a successful tenure as President of ANAN.
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