PROFILE OF DR CLEMENT OKONGO
Dr. Clement Okongo Ebin was born on July 4th ,1947 into the family of Late Mr. William Ebin Ntui and Ma. Martha Asuga Takim, both of Ajassor Village in Etung Local Govt. Area of Cross River State.
He is a Wildlife Scientist, Forester/Ecologist, Natural Resources Manager and Administrator, with well over 45 years’ professional experience.
Education:
Ebin holds a B.Sc. degree in Wildlife Science, from Utah State University, Logan, Utah (1978)and M.Sc. in National Parks and Ecotourism Management from the University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming (1980) respectively; both in the United States of America; as well as a Ph.D. in Protected Area Management from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.(2004). He also has a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in a “Senior Management Course in Wildlife Economics, Policy and Practice” (1991), from the University of Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom. (A British Council sponsored Program).
Before proceeding to the USA for further studies in 1975, Dr. Ebin was trained in the Federal School of Forestry, Ibadan, for three years, where he obtained the Higher National Diploma in Forest Management in 1973. He served the then South Eastern State Government of Nigeria as a Forest Superintendent in charge of the Edondon Afforestation Scheme, among other things, before leaving for the USA.
Upon return from the USA in 1980, Ebin, equipped, with the professional knowledge he gained from working in both Yellow Stone and Grand Teton National Parks in the USA, plunged into working assiduously, as one of the Founding Fathers of the National Parks System and contributed immensely in establishing the National Parks Service in Nigeria.
Gorillas which were known to exist in Cross River State, Nigeria before now, were assumed to be extinct at the time, but through Ebin’s research efforts in the Mbe Mountains in Cross River State (1980) their continued existence was confirmed. To be doubly sure the Scientific Committee of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation,(NCF)engaged the services of international gorilla experts, the Harcourts, whom Ebin led to his research site and yours truly the team saw gorillas, live. This gave further credence to the establishment of the Cross River National Park with Gorilla as the theme animal species.
Subsequently, Ebin took the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, in his capacity as the President of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), when he visited Nigeria,in 1989 to visit the Gorilla Site in, Mbe Mountains near a village called Kanyang, in Cross River State, to flag off the WWF/NCF sponsored Gorilla Conservation Project.
Ebin was then engaged by the NCF as a Consultant to assess suitable sites in Nigeria, as a whole, for the establishment of National Parks. Apart from Kainji Lake and Okomu Sites, it is on record that all the other five sites assessed and recommended by him met the international criteria for National Parks, based on the US standards.
Working Life:
Ebin, who left on study-leave for further studies in the USA, was appointed Director of Wildlife Dept. Cross River State, upon return.
He was appointed General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of the Cross River National Park and the Country Supervising officer of the externally funded programs of the European Union (EU), Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the KfW(Germany) of the Park from 1992 to 2002. Ebin also served as a Member of the Scientific Committee of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, during this period.
Ebin has a wide background experience in handling ecological issues integrating human communities in and around Protected Areas. His strong skills combine long standing managerial and administrative capabilities. His strength include: excellent written and communication skills, problem solving abilities and a quick grasp of new concepts.
By 2003, Ebin was posted to the National Park Service Headquarters, Abuja, as Director of Parks, a position he held until he eventually retired voluntarily from the service of the Federal Government of Nigeria same year, after 35 years of meritorious service to both the Cross River State and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
A strong defender of the Rainforest, especially the Oban Rainforest in Cross River State and the Environment, he introduced conservation advocacy programs in the country and contributed immensely in the fight against unsustainable logging and destructive environmental practices, which efforts led to giving Nigeria the global status to qualify for the *REDD funding mechanisms within the Climate Change Mitigation Framework.
Ebin is also an ordained Rev. Minister of God and the Overseer of a Christian Ministry based mainly in the rural areas, in accordance with his calling.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, WORK EXPERIENCE & EXECUTIVE POSITIONS HELD:
1978 to 1980 (While in the USA):
Worked for the State of Wyoming Game and Fish Dept. as:
Research Assistant:
*Assisted in Wildlife Inventory Research for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a Wind Powered Electricity Development Project in South East Wyoming.
Graduate Teaching/Research Assistant :
In the University of Wyoming, USA.
*Assisted in teaching some courses in Park Planning & Management.
Summer of 1979 (While in the USA):
*Worked as a Volunteer Assistant Park Ranger in Yellow Stone and Grand Teton NationalParks, in the State of Wyoming.
April 2011 to 2015, After retirement from Govt. Service:
- Founding President: Biodiversity Preservation Center (BPC)
- Board Member and African Regional Representative on the Board of Directors of SOCIETY FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION INTER.(SER-I), USA.
- Advisor/Consultant: IUCN/World Commission on Protected Areas (Task Force on Best Practice Guidelines for Ecological Restoration in and around Protected Areas);
- Executive Director: AFRICAN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION
- Principal Consultant: TROPICAL ECOLOGICAL CONSULT LTD.
- Senior Lecturer/ HOD, in the Dept. of Hospitality & Tourism Mgt. Cross River University of Technology, (2012 – 2015).
He successfully led the new Dept. to attain the NUC Accreditation of her programs in 2015 at first attempt.
SELECTED REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS BY DR. EBIN:
1.Ebin, C.O. (1980) “The Wick Brothers Big Game Management Unit: An Interpretive Master Plan” Prepared for the Wyoming Game & Fish Dept., Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA.
2. Ebin, C.O. (1980) “Exploratory Analysis of Family Behavior in a Water-based Outdoor Recreation Setting.” Being a thesis presented to Dept. of Parks and Recreation, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA for the award of an M.Sc. Degree.
3. Ebin, C. O. (1983) “An Appraisal of the Biotic and Material Resources of Selected Forest and Game Reserves in Nigeria” Being a Research Report submitted to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation in preparation for the creation of National Parks in Nigeria.
4. Ebin, C. O. (1998)“Biodiversity Conservation and Community Participation: The Cross River National Park Experience.” Being a Management Paper presented to the Management of the Nigeria National Park Service.
5. Ayodele, I.A, Ebin, C.O. and Alarape, A.A(1999) Essentials of Wildlife Management. Jachin Publishers, P.O.Box 21798, U.I P.O, I badan, Nigeria
7. Ebin, C.O, (2001) “Partnership in the Management of National Parks in Nigeria with State and Local Authorities.” Being a Paper presented at a National Park Management Meeting held at Dagona Sector of Chad Basin National Park, Maiduguri.
8. Eniang, E. A, Ebin, C.O and Luiselli, L. (2002). “On the Composition of Snake Fauna of Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park, a Hilly Forest Savannah Transition Zone in South East Nigeria.” (Squamata: Serpentes). Herpetozoa. 15(1/2): 79-82.
9. Eniang, E.A and Ebin, C.O. (2002) “Utilization of Confiscated Animals by the Cross River National Park to promote in-situ Biodiversity Conservation of the Rainforest of South Eastern Nigeria.” PAN AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, AQUARIA & BOTANIC GARDENS (PAAZAB) Annual Conference, (28 – 31, 2002) Montecasino, Johanesburg, South Africa.
10. Ebin, C.O. (2004) “Assessment of Host Community Attitutes in the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park towards the Management of the Park.”Being a thesis presented to the University of Ibadan, Nigeria for the award of a Ph.D. degree.
11. Eniang, E,A and Ebin, C.O. (2011)“The Reptiles in the Animal Kingdom”(Pp.654 – 677) in Book of Reading in Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries Management. Eds. A.A. Aiyeloja and H.M Ijeoma, Publishers: TOPBASE NIG. LTD.
12. Ebin, C.O. (2015) “Heritage Conservation: A Prerequsite For Sustainable Tourism Development in Nigeria.” Journal of Tourism and Heritage Studies Vol.4 No. 1 & 2, Sept. 2015.
MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
a) INTERNATIONAL:
(i) Member, Wyoming Recreation and Parks Association, Laramie Chapter, Laramie Wyoming, USA
(ii) Member, Wyoming Wildlife Association, Wyoming, USA.
(iii) Member, African Wildlife Leadership Foundation, Washington, D.C, USA
Member, World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)
(iv) Member and Board Director representing Africa in the Society For Ecological Restoration International (SER-I)
- vi. Member and Executive Director, African Ecological Restoration Foundation (AERF).
- B) NATIONAL:
- Member Scientific Committee of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, (NCF)
- Trustee, Wildlife and Zoo Management Association of Nigeria.
- Member Nigerian Society for Biological Conservation
- President, Biodiversity Preservation Center (BPC), Nigeria.
- Member, Association for Tourism Development in Nigeria (ATDiN)
- Fellow, Wildlife Society of Nigeria(WISON)
SOME IMPORTANT AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
- “A Special Award and Recognition for Dedication, Hard Work and Commitment” by Etung Students Association of Nigerian(ESAN), University of Calabar Branch. 1999.
- Special Historic Award as “PROTECTOR OF THE BOKI RAINFOREST” by the Boki Students Union Government (BSUG) Worldwide in 2001.
- Lifetime Achievement Award” 2002 by the International Biographical Centre (IBC), Cambridge, CB2 3QP, England.
- “American Medal of Honour” 2002 by the American Biographical Institute, Inc. (ABI) 5126 Bur Oak Circle, P.O.Box 31226, Raleigh, NC 27622-1226
IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOP ATTENDED
- Seminar on the“Use of Bio-telemetry Equipment in Wildlife Management”, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA, 1980.
- Forestry Association of Nigeria, 10th Annual Conference. Sokoto, Nigeria, Nov. 1997.
- International Seminar on “Environmental Management and Ecotourism Development in Africa.” Accra, Ghana: 11th to 15th, August, 1997.
- Sixth Annual Conference of the Nigerian Society for Biological Conservation University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria, 26th – 28th, Nov. 1997.
- “Wetland 2000”. A National Workshop on Nigerian Wetlands. Organized by Wetland International, Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja and the Center for Wetlands, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Uyo, Nigeria, May 2000.
- “International Workshop and Conference on the Conservation of the Cross River Gorilla”,Calabar, Nigeria, April 6 – 9, 2001; organized by the WCS, USA, in conjunction with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Biodiversity Preservation Group, and the Cross River National Park, Nigeria.
- Study Tour of the South African National Parks: June 4 – 25, 2001.
- Regional Workshop on Protected Area Management in West and Central Africa, Kribi, Cameroon: 27 – 31 January, 2003.
- Conference on developing a Conservation strategy for the Management of Cross River Gorilla, held in Limbe, Cameroon, 20 -23, August, 2003.
- International Conference on: “Rural Livelihoods, Forests and Biodiversity Conservation”, Boon, Germany: 19 – 23 May 2003.
- “World Park Congress, Durban”, South Africa: Sept. 2003.
- Federal Ministry of Environment/UNDP-GEF National Workshop, 4th – 6th, July, 2005, Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria.
- International Conference of the Society for Conservation Biology. Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, 7th -12 July, 2008.
- The 19th World Conference on Ecological Restoration; Perth, W. Australia, Organized by the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SER-I) of the USA, 23 -27, August, 2009.
- Stake-holders Workshop and Conference of Environmental Conservation Initiative, Obudu Cattle Ranch, 30th May to 2nd June, 2011.
- International Conference on Ecological Restoration. Merida, Mexico, Aug. 21 -25, 2011.
- Eco-Summit 2012: 4th International Eco-Summit on Ecological Sustainability: Restoring the Plant’s Ecosystem Services. 30th – 5th Oct. 2012, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
- International Conference on Tourism Development in Nigeria: organized by the Association for Tourism Development in Nigeria (ATDiN), University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 5th – 8th 2015.