In 2009, I was certified as a CISA and became an ISACA member, joining the Lagos Chapter in the west region of Nigeria. Five years after, I relocated to Port Harcourt in the south of Nigeria. At the time, there was no nearby ISACA chapter. I traveled about 620 km, an approximate journey of nine hours, from Port Harcourt to attend chapter events in Lagos. It was a worrisome ordeal, considering the cost of transportation, accommodations and associated logistics, along with the risks of traveling through poorly maintained and occasionally unsafe road conditions.
Those concerns sparked my curiosity about the absence of a chapter in Port Harcourt, an oil-rich city and the revenue base of Nigeria. I performed an analysis of the likelihood of having a chapter in the city and realized that the Port Harcourt metropolis has an estimated population of 2.7 million people, and as the gateway to the Nigerian economy, and the heart of the oil industry with major multinational corporations in the area, the potential market was substantial. As these businesses rely on IT to deliver value to stakeholders, it was clear that there would be major demand for ISACA resources, knowledge and credentials.
Upon my next travel for a chapter event in Lagos, I consulted the leadership of the Lagos Chapter on the potential of forming a chapter in Port Harcourt and they offered guidance on next steps. I emailed ISACA Global and through their response, I was referred to a member in Port Harcourt who already made a similar inquiry so that we could build upon those efforts. I am a results-oriented individual who never rests until an objective is achieved. For me, having a chapter in Port Harcourt was all that mattered. As I was passionate about this goal, I volunteered to take charge of the formation documents and coordinate all the required material for submission. To make this story short, I am delighted to state that through my volunteer role and commitment with the support of other team members, Port Harcourt was granted a charter in August 2015. This was a milestone for professionals in our area, taking into account the local networking opportunities, the platform to sharpen leadership skills and raising the consciousness of the need to better leverage technology to deliver value. We are also seeking to make a difference in our wider community. For ISACA’s second annual CommunITy Day next week, we are planning to donate medical supplies to a local hospital and assist hospital patients who need help with their bills.
My spirit of volunteerism was the basis of my commitment to serve the chapter as the first general secretary and administrator, vice president, accredited chapter trainer, content writer and administrator of the Engage website. I now serve as the chapter president and chair of the board. We have had to make some adjustments this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are finding ways to continue offering value to chapter members through virtual meetings and trainings. My volunteer activities in serving ISACA has indeed widened my network horizon, provided global insights in information and technology, and deepened my leadership skills, truly making me a global citizen.
Besides my involvement in the chapter activities, I advise small-medium enterprises on the importance of risk management and internal controls in growing their business. I also enjoy attending social and networking events. On a good day, I sit out with friends and have a great conversation over drinks and roasted sea fish.