I was the first full‑time Executive Secretary of  CODESRIA.  Built up the organization from an unknown one office with deficit budget to its presently recognised status as the Social Science Research Council in Africa.  CODESRIA has its own substantive HQ in Dakar, Senegal, with fixed assets, a substantive Secretariat and budget and diplomatic status with the Government of Senegal.  

During the period in office and as part of mobilizing the African Social Science Community, I conceptualised, initiated, and contributed substantively to 50 conferences/seminars/workshops in different countries and on many different development themes ‑ such as industrialization, rural development, economic integration, technology, population, etc.(see Annex B). It was also my responsibility to raise funds for all these meetings.  As part of this process of mobilization and research, we set up many (i)  Pan‑African Research Groups (ii)  National Research Groups.  The end result of all these activities were the publications of CODESRIA ‑ initiated by me during my period in CODESRIA.

These were:

a.       Bilingual (English/French)  Quarterly Pan‑African Journal - Africa Development.  Founding Editor 1976‑86  (Published 12 Volumes). Journal is continuing.

b.       Book Series  (10 books - series continuing - see annex C)

c        Working Paper Series  (30 working papers - series continuing)

d.       Occasional Paper Series  (10 occasional papers - series continuing)

e.       Newsletter  (Quarterly - 1977-1986 - continuing)

f.        I also started and initiated other major CODESRIA activities as follows: -

i.        A computerised Information and Documentation Centre (CODICE) servicing African researchers and institutions, through its international network with major African and European/North American Data Banks as well as those of the sister Regional Associations

ii.       An exhaustive data base on African social science researchers and institutions (in collaboration with OECD directories of researchers/on‑going research/ training and research institutions are published every 2 or so years)

iii.      The strengthening of social science faculties and research institutions, which are CODESRIA's main constituencies.

iv.      Moral, material and substantive support to other African social science institutions (e.g. expertise in the establishment of ZIDS ‑ Zimbabwe Institute of Development Studies; hosting of AAWORD secretariat ‑ Association of African Women for Research & Development, OSSREA and SAUSC.

v.     Negotiated observer status for CODESRIA with the OAU, and the UN.

vi.      Participation in formation of collaborative links with other regional social science research institutions, through ICCDA (Inter‑Regional Coordinating Committee of Development Association).          I was the first Secretary of ICCDA from 1976 to 1980. ICCDAs other members are CLACSO (Consejo Latinoamerricano de Ciencias Sociales), EADI (European Association of Development Institutes), ADIPA (Association of Development Research & Training Institutes of Asia and the Pacific), and AICARDES (Association of the Arab Research Institute and Centre for Economic and Social Development).  

In January, 1990, I was appointed Executive Secretary to the Nairobi based  "Management of Science and Technology for Development in Africa" (MANSCI).  This is a Programme of the Future Actions Committee chaired by General Obasanjo former President of Nigeria, and is sponsored by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS).