PROFILE OF THE CONSERVATOR GENERAL- NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, IBRAHIM MUSA GONI
Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni was born on the 3rd day of April 1958 in Bussa, Niger State. He started his early education at the Local Education Authority Primary School, Bussa (1968-1973), where he obtained Primary School Leaving Certificate and proceeded to Borgu Secondary School, New Bussa (1973-1978), for his General Certificate of Education (GCE) and later Government Secondary School, Kontagora (1978-1979), for West African School Certificate (WASC). Dr.Goni was at the College of Education, Sokoto, Sokoto State (1979-1982), for the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and carried out his National Youth Service Corps in Akungba, Ondo State (1982-1983). He was at the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto (1987-1990), for B.Sc (ED) Biology, Federal University of Technology, Akure (1998-2000), for M. Tech. (Agric.Technology, in Wildlife Management) and obtained a doctorate degree (Ph.D) in Wildlife Management in 2019 at the same university.
Dr. Goni is a seasoned Conservationist and Protected Area manager who started his working career in 1983 in Kainji Lake National Park, New Bussa, Niger State where he served in varous capacities including: Park Superintendent (1983-1990); Officer-in-charge of Zugurma sector (1985-1987); Park Officer I cum Head of Department, Planning, Research & Statistics (1990-1993); Senior Park Officer (1993-1997); Principal Park Officer cum Head of Department, Park Protection & Conservation (1997-1999).
Following the creation of two additional National Parks namely, Kamuku and Okomu National Parks by the Federal Government in 1999, he was appointed as the pioneer Officer-in-Charge, Kamuku National Park, Birnin Gwari, Kaduna state; promoted from Assist. Chief Park Officer to Chief Park Officer in 2000 and, Assist. Director in 2003. In 2006, Dr Goni was promoted to Deputy Director and posted to take charge of Chad Basin National Park, Maiduguri, where he was later redesignated as Deputy Conservator of Park and posted to Old Oyo National Park, Oyo State in 2010. He was later promoted to the rank of substantive Director (Conservator of Park) and served in that capacity between 2011-2014.
He was transferred to the National Park Service, Headquarters, Abuja, as Assistant Conservator General (Ecology & Resource Management) 2014-2017 and was appointed Conservator General, National Park Service by the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) on the 14th April, 2017 as the 3rd Substantive Conservator General of the Federation.
In his over three decades of meritorious service in the field of conservation and protected area management, Dr. Goni has attended several National and International Workshops, Conferences as well as served in many Committees within and outside the country. Notably are; National Workshop on Statutory Laws on Financial Administration in Public Sector by the Nigeria Law Reform Commission, Jos 2000; Review of Accounting Manual of the National Park Service by Solanke& Suleiman, Oli Camp, New Bussa, 2000; Study Tour of Kenya and Tanzania National Parks, 2001; National Workshop on Integrated Community Based Tourism & Rural Economic Empowerment by Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Abuja, 2002; Workshop on Contract Tendering, the Presidency, Abuja, 2002; Road to Durban-Workshop on Protected Areas Management, Cameroon, 2003; Workshop on Anti-Corruption Organized by the House of Representative, 2006; Regional Workshop on Protected Areas Strategy, Maroua, Cameroon, 2007; National Consultant, Lake Chad Basin Commission, United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS) on Protected Areas Strategy in Nigeria 2007; Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON)-Training on Effective Delegation and Leadership, 2008; Study tour to National Parks in Niger Republic, 2009; Member, Nigerian Observer to the Conference of Party (COP 10) on the Review of Convention on Biodiversity, Nagoya, Japan, 2010; Conference of the Botanical Society of Nigeria, 2010; 2nd World Biodiversity Congress, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, 2011; Member, Nigerian delegation to the Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20 Summit) Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, 2012; Study Tour to Indian National Parks, 2012; Member, Nigerian delegation on Study Tour of Kenya National Park.
Dr. Goni was a member of various internal and external Committees which, includes Editor-In-Chief ‘Nigeria Parks’-The Official Magazine of the National Park Service, 1994; Member, Committee on the Conversion of Ruma/Kukar Jangarai Forest Reserve (Katsina State) into National Park, 2000; Member National Park Service Committee on Relocation Allowance, 2001; Member, National Park Service High Powered Committee to Investigate into the Upsurge in Fulani cattle rearers incursion into Yankari National Park, 2002; Member, National Park Service Committee on the Implementation of the approved National Park Service Scheme and Condition of Service, 2007; Member Representing National Park Service on the Working Group of the BPE on the Partial Commercialization of the National Park Service, 2010; Member, Technical Committee on the collaboration between National Park Service and Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 2011; Chairman, Editorial Board, ‘Nigeria Parks’-The Official Magazine of the National Park Service, 2011; Chairman Uniform and Logistics Committee on the Implementation of the Paramilitary Status in the National Park Service, 2013; Delegate on Steering Committee on the Commercialization of Nigeria National Parks, 2013; Member, Representing National Park Service on the Project Advisory Committee of the BPE on the Commercialization of the National Parks, 2013; Chairman, Borgu International Gani Durbar Festival, Borgu Emirate Council, New Bussa, 2015; Fellow, Wildlife Society of Nigeria (WISON) 2018; Member, Nigerian Association of Zoos and Wildlife Parks, 2018; Life War Marshall, Man O’War Nigeria, Oyo State Command 2018; Member, Chartered Institute of Public Resources Management and Policies,
Ghana, 2019.
He was conferred with the title of Kogunan Borgu by HRH, Alhaji Dr. (Sen) Haliru Dantoro (Kitoro III), Emir of Borgu, Niger State for his loyal services to the Emirate and his people. He was commended by the then Conservator-General for Improved Revenue Generation at Chad Basin National Park (CBNP) 2010.
Dr. Goni is a recipient of several Awards some of which include; Award of Excellence by Caring Climate Film, 2013; Award of Excellence by Borgu Youth Development Association, 2014.
Dr. Goni is widely travelled. Some of the countries visted include; Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Brazil, Malaysia, Niger and India. He is married with many children. His hobbies include; Nature Watch/Tours, Reading Newspapers, Traveling and Jogging.