The hitherto Vice President, Internet Society Nigeria Chapter, Engr. Kunle Olorundare has assumed the position of the Acting President, owing to the election of the incumbent President, Mr. Caleb Olumuyiwa Ogundele into the board of Internet Society Global Board of Trustees and his subsequent resignation.
Engr. Olorundare is taken over the leadership position to complete the tenure of Mr. Caleb, which will end later this year, and Article 7 of the constitution triggered a new election and electoral committee inaugurated by the current executive committee to run independently in making sure there is a smooth transition.
Mr. Caleb Olumuyiwa Ogundele had in a letter dated June 14, 2023 to the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter of his elevation to the global stage, stressed that the move is a great development for the Nigeria Chapter, as it will bring it into a strategic limelight in the Internet Governance ecosystem.
“I hope this message finds you well. It is with a mix of emotions that I write to inform you of my resignation as the President of the Internet Society Nigerian Chapter, which became effective on Wednesday, 14 June 2023 after fulfilling Section 6.5 (B) of ISOC Nigeria’s Constitution which required me to notify the Secretary-General and other members of the ISOC Executive Team of my intention to resign with a 3-month notice. It has been an incredible journey serving as your President, and I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude and explain the reasons behind my decision to resign.
“On April 17, I was officially announced as one of the winners of the recently concluded ISOC Global BoT elections for a 3-year term starting this 2023. Hence, my decision to resign and hand over to the Vice President of the Chapter in person of Engr. Kunle Olorundare whom you are already familiar with and will take over in an acting capacity to complete my term which will be in a few months from now,” the letter reads.
He noted that though, serving as the President of the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter has been an incredible journey, his election as a member of the ISOC Global Board of Trustees means he has to take a more global role and dedicate his volunteer time and efforts to the broader initiatives and responsibilities of the Internet Society.
Meanwhile, the acting President in the interview he granted to accept the new role assured that he and other members of the EXCO will sustain the tempo at the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter.
He noted that the Nigeria chapter will be actively involved in the African Internet Governance, which he disclosed will be hosted in Nigeria this year and ensure the ongoing process of 2023 Nigerian School on Internet Governance is successfully staged this year.
“This is a big shoe left by Mr. Caleb Olumuyiwa Ogundele. But we believe that together with the other members of the executive who are well-experienced in Internet Governance, we will deliver and take the Nigeria Chapter to another level,” he assured.
Part of the focus of the new EXCO according to Engr. Kunle Olorundare is to actively encourage more volunteers to participate in the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter’s activities and drive an increase in membership through creative programmes and more relevant advocacy in the Internet Governance space.
The Internet Society Nigeria Chapter is a group that is interested in making sure the Internet remains a safe, secure and trusted platform that closes gaps and enables innovation to improve human life.