Ahmed Joda: NCC pays condolence visit to family, eulogises ex-Board Chairman in Yola

*The Nigerian Communications Commission restates late Alhaji Ahmed Joda’s landmark achievements in respect of the commercial launch of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) services, which have revolutionised the telecoms ecosystem in the country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The members of the Board and Management Staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have paid a condolence visit to the family of late Alhaji Ahmed Joda, OFR, CON, CFR, an erstwhile Board Chairman of the Commission, in Yola, Adamawa State.

ConsumerConnect learnt the visiting delegation on the condolence visit to the family Tuesday, August 17, 2021, included Prof. Adeolu Akande, Chairman, Board of Commissioners of NCC; Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Commission, alongside other members of the Board and Management staff of the telecoms regulatory Commission in the country.

L-R: Prof. Danbatta, Prof. Akande and Alhaji Ali Joda, eldest son of the late statesman

Others on the delegation are Board Commissioners, including Mr. Clement Baiye, Chief Uche Onwude, Alhaji Abdulazeez Salman and Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar; and Engr. Ubale Maska, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services; Barrister Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management as well as  other Senior Management Staff of the Commission, report said.

Late Alhaji Joda, who died Friday, August 13, 2021, at age 91, was a retired first-class Federal Permanent Secretary, and former Chairman, Board of Commissioners of NCC for 10 years.

He had served as the Board Chair, commencing from 2001 when the commercial launch of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) services commenced in Nigeria.

On arrival in Yola, the NCC delegation was received by family members of the late Chairman, led by Alhaji Ali Joda, his eldest son, at the deceased town, in the Yola South Local Government Area of the state.

Prof. Akande, who presented a condolence letter from Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, to the family paid glowing tributes to the statesman, and eulogised his leaving indelible footprints in the sands of the telecommunications industry in the country.

The NCC Chairman, Board of Commissioners said the telecoms industry and by extension the entire economy have benefited immensely from the solid foundation laid by the Joda-led NCC Board from 2001 to 2010.

During his tenure of office, Akande said Joda recorded landmark achievements in terms of the GSM, which revolutionised the telecommunications landscape in Nigeria.

Prof. Danbatta also described Joda “as an exceptional individual”, whose remarkable role had helped in transforming the NCC from what it used to be in 2000 to what it is currently.

The EVC noted the NCC is known across the African continent and beyond as a foremost and world-class regulatory agency.

He said the sterling status achieved by NCC was due to the commitment, hard work, diligence and exceptional leadership demonstrated by Joda when he held sway as NCC Board Chairman for 10 years.

According to him, “no amount of praise and tributes will be adequate to capture the immeasurable contributions of Baba Joda to the telecommunications industry in Nigeria in general, and to the Nigerian Communications Commission in particular.

“Baba Joda is leaving behind a robust legacy that will live after him, as he is today credited with the GSM revolution in Nigeria.”

Danbatta further stated: “Arising from Baba Joda’s exceptional vision and robust leadership, the NCC recorded landmark achievements, such as the construction of NCC’s Head Office in Maitama, Abuja; the NCC’s Communications & Digital Economy Complex (CDEC), Mbora, Abuja, as well as the establishment of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), among others.

“These are some of the remarkable achievements recorded during his time as the Chairman of the Board.”

Describing late Joda as a father to him, the NCC Chief said that his death is a great personal loss.

He also recalled how, from his sick bed recently, the ex-Board Chairman painstakingly wrote the foreword to his (Danbatta’s) Compendium of Speeches, entitled “Catalysing Nigeria’s Socio-Economic Transformation through Broadband Infrastructure”, due to be launched soon.

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