BOARD MEMBERS
As an organization, NIFAA brings together a unique mix of faith leaders, health professionals, and programmatic staff to fulfill its interfaith mandate. NIFAA is a registered Nigerian non-profit, which is governed by an independent, six-member Board of Directors. Five of the Board members are Nigerian and one is international. The Board is responsible for organizational and financial oversight.
Bishop Dr. Sunday Onuoha (SEC)
Bishop Sunday Onuoha is a Bishop within the United Methodist Church of Nigeria and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Nigerian Interfaith Action Association (NIFAA). In his tenure at NIFAA, he has successfully coordinated the mobilization and training of 215,000 faith leaders (imams, pastors and preachers) in the fight against malaria. As a result of his untiring effort, NIFAA is now recognized in Nigeria and internationally as a key partner in social and behavior change communication and is expanding its work to include programming on diarrhea, pneumonia, nutrition, WASH, and girl-child education. The United Nations Foundation recognized Bishop Onuoha as a "Champion in the Fight Against Malaria" and he received the 2013 Global Peace Foundation at ceremonies in Malaysia. Bishop Onuoha served as the Special Assistant on Privatization to President Obasanjo. He is also the founding President of Vision Africa, a faith-based NGO assisting the poor in Abia State, throughout the Niger Delta and other parts of Africa. Vision Africa also has a Dallas, TX office. Bishop Onuoha received his PhD from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
Prof Ishaq Oloyede
is a member of the Board of trustees for Nigerian Inter-Faith Action Association. He Is from Abeokuta Ogun State but currently resides in Ilorin Kwara State. He was the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Inter religious Executive Counsel, and currently is the general secretary of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic affairs. He was the vice chancellor of University of Ilorin located in Kwara state from 2007 to 2012. He has authored and co-authored several articles in reputable local and international outlets and he was also the president of association of African universities (AAU).
Tom Woods
Mr. Woods is a founding board member of NIFAA and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa at the US State Department. Mr. Woods also served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Africa at USAID. He currently leads Woods International LLC, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm that builds global business and sustainable development linkages. Mr. Woods serves as Chairman of the Board for the Wilton Park USA Foundation, is a Senior Advisor to the World Bank and remains committed to strengthening ties between the US and Africa through continued policy engagement.
Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar
Co-Chair
is a Co-chair of the Board of trustees for the Nigerian Inter-Faith Action Association. He has his roots and resides in Sokoto Nigeria; He is the SULTAN OF SOKOTO, the leader of the entire Muslim community in Nigeria and also the President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). Together with the president of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), he also Co-chairs the Nigerian inter religious executive council (NIREC). Before he became Sultan he retired as a Brigadier General after serving in Sierra Leone as Liaison Officer with ECOWAS. He has been awarded with the Global Seal of integrity (GSOL); an award that promotes integrity among people and subsequently the universe
Cardinal John Onaiyekan
is a Nigerian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Abuja from 1994 to 2019 and was made a Cardinal in 2012. He has served as President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria and Bishop of Ilorin.Onaiyekan was born in the town of Kabba, in what is now Kogi State, to Bartholomew and Joann Onaiyekan. He attended St. Mary's Catholic School in Kabba from 1949 until 1956, Mount St. Michael's Secondary School in Aliade, Benue State, from 1957 until 1962, and Ss. Peter & Paul Major Seminary in Bodija, Ibadan, from 1963 until 1965. He completed his religious studies in Rome in 1969 and was ordained as a priest on 3 August of that year by Bishop Auguste Delisle of Ilorin.[1] Ahmadu Bello, Premier of Nigeria's Northern Region, had offered him a scholarship to study abroad.[2]
Most Rev. Daniel Okoh
Okoh is General Overseer of the Christ Holy Church International, a.k.a. Nation Builders, a former vice President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, and President of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches. Daniel Okoh was elected President of the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) in July 2022.