The newly appointed Director General and Executive Secretary of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Femi Ajayi is a multi-disciplinary professional who is biochemist, journalist and international law expert.
Born July 14, 1957 in Ekiti State, he was before his new appointment, the Senior Special Assistant to the President Goodluck Jonathan on Development Cooperation and Disapora Relations.
As the Senior Special Assistant to the President, he was responsible for assisting the President in facilitating programmatic collaboration and resource coordination between the Federal Government and other levels of government as well as mobilizing and leveraging international resources from bilateral, regional and multilateral sources.
Before being appointed as a Presidential aide in June 2007, Mr. Ajayi had previously served with Department for International Department (DFID) as a Senior Communication Specialist at DFID-ProPCom where he was responsible for designing a Communication Strategy for promoting the concept Making Markets Work for the Poor, PrOpCom’s catalytic programme activities and Financial Assistance Operations. He also developed core messages as well oversaw the establishment of a database/information management system to store information with a view towards its eventual analysis for project management and reporting purposes.
Some of the positions he held included Resident Coordination Specialist of the United System (2005/2006); UNICEF Communication Consultant for HIV/AIDS (2001); National Professional Officer for Communication and Informatics for UNESCO (1999/2001); United Nations Information Centre (1992 to 1999), Science Editor/Member of the Editorial Board of Daily Times (1987/90), and Media Consultant to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) (1991).
Mr. Ajayi had travelled widely covering sensitive assignments and attending programmes and seminars related to drug abuse and trafficking. One of the seminars he attended was the International Workshop on Drug Abuse and Trafficking sponsored by the United States Information Agency at the Voice of America in Washington D.C. in May –June 1989 where he presented a paper on Nigeria’s Drug Scene: the challenge of Drug Demand Reduction and Prohibition.
An experienced International Civil Servant, Development Communication Specialist, and Public Affairs Analyst, Mr. Ajayi got his first degree in Biochemistry from the University of Ife in 1981; Post-graduate Diploma in Journalism from the Times Journalism Institute 1984; and Masters in International Law and Diplomacy from the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Akoka-Lagos.
The NDLEA boss has authored many books and papers including Sustainable Development Diplomacy: Nigeria’s Diplomatic Wars for Regional Progress (2003); Communication for HIV/AIDS Prevention: A guidebook for practitioners (2001), The Enforcement of International Law Under the United Nations: The use of Sanctions (1996), Electrophoretic Analysis of Erythrocyte Membrane (1981) and Status of Human Rights Law in the 21st Century.
Some of his well-researched papers include: Interpreting Health Data and Agricultural Statistics (1991); The role of the United Nations in the Enforcement of International Law and Enforcement of International Human Rights Conventions.
As a distinguished personality he has excelled in various endeavours. At the University of Lagos he was the Best Overall Masters graduate in International Law and Diplomacy (MILD) Student Award (1995/96 Session); Best Overall Post-graduate diploma Student Award (1983/84 session) from Times Journalism Institute, Lagos, Nigeria and Best Biochemistry Final Year Student Research Project Award (1980/81 session), University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Femi Ajayi is happily married with four children.
