Long before General Abdulsalami Abubakar took over the
reigns of power in Nigeria last June, setting yet another course for its
return to democracy, the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry,
Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) had long known that there were fundamental
problems within the economy. NACCIMA also knows that it is the role of the
business sector to push for necessary reforms to solve these problems.
Under the leadership of National President Chief Kola Daisi and Director General Lawrence O. Adekunle, NACCIMA has sounded the call for a return to civilian government and they have, for the first time ever, enlisted other national organizations into a consensus building force.
Chief Kola Daisi has been called the "doyen of the chamber of commerce movement" by the Nigerian daily, Punch. His right-hand man, Lawrence O. Adekunle, is usually found behind the scenes, making sure that NACCIMA is primed for moving its initiatives forward. Together, they make a powerful team that is confidently and tirelessly pushing Nigeria toward democracy and free enterprise.
Daisi and Adekunle were instrumental in creating a consensus among leading Nigerian private sector organizations. They brought the efforts of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association (NECA), and NACCIMA together to publish a pre-budget memorandum to the federal government. In the combined words of the consensus participants, "The current transition program towards installation of a democratically-elected government should be diligently pursued and faithfully implemented to avoid frustrating the high hopes of the political class, the investing world community, and the entire citizenry of the nation."
NACCIMA's effectiveness - both at building coalitions with other organizations
and in demanding 
unapologetically a swift return to democracy
- reflects the talent of its leadership team to articulate and represent
its membership's needs. The skills Daisi and Adekunle today so ably bring
to NACCIMA were developed through years of involvement in business and associations.
In the late 1970s, Daisi left full-time chamber work, having served as NACCIMA's Executive Director. Dedicating himself to private business, Chief Daisi led an investment firm and then headed a string of successful endeavors in the manufacturing and service sectors: Asbestos Cement Products Nigeria Ltd., Western Hotels Ltd., Great Nigeria Insurance Company Ltd., the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, Daks Investment, Kidcell Engineering and Steel, and others.
Daisi's career - as a chamber executive and as a "hands-on" business owner of many years - gives him a unique perspective on how to lead a membership-based business organization. He knows that volunteer leaders like him need a "big picture" vision to set policy, while delegating responsibility for day-to-day operations to competent professionals.
Chief Daisi confides in Lawrence O. Adekunle who, as NACCIMA's Director General, oversees a staff of 45 employees. Adekunle's job is to provide daily guidance to the association, a federation of 55 organizational members consisting of state, city, and bilateral chambers from throughout the country. A political science graduate of the University of Lagos, Adekunle has 17 years of experience in NACCIMA, rising up through its ranks until assuming his current position in 1991.
General Abubakar and his team are already moving to account for corruption under the regime of his predecessor, Gen. Sani Abacha. They have announced intentions to privatize state-owned enterprises, release many political detainees, and schedule elections for February of 1999. In the meantime, NACCIMA is keeping a close eye on the economy and can be counted on to ensure that open-market policies and practices prevail.