Document Affirms Govs’ Forum, Harvard Varsity Deal By Collins Edomaruse and Festus Akanbi

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigerian Governors’ Forum and John Kennedy School of Government of the Harvard University, United State, has reaffirmed a training deal the Forum sealed with the university during its recent working visit to the United States.
Titled: “Capacity Building Workshops for Nigerian Governors’ Forum”, the MoU focuses on the training of the 36 Governors, Forum staff and local leaders in the areas of leadership, good governance, education policy, economic development, among others.
Jointly signed by the Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Director-General of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. A. B Okauru, Harvard University’s Director, Programme on Intrastate Conflict, Prof Robert I. Rotberg and Ms. Katie L. Naeve, programme manager, Programme on Intrastate Conflict, on May 21 and 22, also spelt out the scope of the engagement.
According to the document, “Harvard Kennedy School Programme on Intrastate Conflict will hold three workshops for the Forum and governors, the first of which will take place in October, 2009, and second two before June 2010. Further workshops will occur in 2010 – 2011 and beyond. The programme on Intrastate Conflict will provide experts in the area listed above to teach at each of the three workshops.”
On logistics, the MoU says: “Both the programme on Intrastate Conflict and the secretariat at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum will coordinate the logistics of the workshops including transportation of input from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, will formulate appropriate curricula for each of the workshops.”
The Forum had announced an impending course in capacity building for all the 36 state governors after four of its members returned from a trip to Harvard and some public institutions in the US about two weeks ago.
The members who undertook the trip included its chairman, Saraki of Kwara State, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio.
A media report at the weekend had quoted Head of Kennedy School of Governance, Harvard University, Prof. Robert Rotberg as saying that although the forum contacted him and sought his help for such a programme, the school had not responded before the forum claimed that both parties had signed a memorandum of understanding.
According to the report, what existed between the two parties was a mere draft of the MoU which Rotberg reportedly said was still awaiting the endorsement of the school authorities.