1. Why African Citizens Development Foundation?

·        African Citizens Development Foundation with ACDF as the acronym was established in 1995 in realization of the need to mobilize and activate the African Citizens towards building a cultured society in the continent. 

2. What makes ACDF a not-for-profit organization?

·        The Foundation was registered as a Non-Governmental Organization with all its projects development oriented, hence, it could only be so if the cost to the citizens put into consideration their welfare, projecting the Foundation as a stakeholder in citizens development.

3.       When and why was ACDF formed?

·        ACDF was established in April 1995 with the mandate to educate African citizens on the importance of human virtues and integrity towards the development of a nobler culture in Africa such that the continent will meet up with global development challenges of the 21^st century.  

4.       Is the foundation legally recognized?

·        Duly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Part C – Incorporated Trustees of the Companies and Allied Matters, Decree No. 1, of 1990 with registration No. RC: 12, 739.

5.        What is the vision/mission of ACDF?

VISION

ACDF vision is to champion the building of a “cultured society” in Africa. Culture not limited to art and artefact but as the level of human inner development that permeates every aspect of human activities, controlling every cognitive endeavour, promoting citizens’ positive attitudes that is in conformity with universal norms and best practice capable of enhancing sustainable development through effective rule of law and good governance. . 

MISSION STATEMENT

The ACDF mission is to sensitize African Citizens to the importance of virtues and integrity in development, awaken them towards becoming disciplined and conscious of their own responsibilities in order to preserve their fundamental human rights. This is towards making a new continent through education and economic empowerment; with a view to eradicate corruption and poverty from the continent. 

6. What are the specific issues, problems or needs the ACDF addresses?

·        ACDF came to the recognition that the problems of weak followership in Africa is the major cause of bad leadership and the effect of which metamorphosed into bad governance which has stigmatized the continent, give it a bad name and kept it constantly underdeveloped. The Foundation, therefore, wishes to educate the citizens to the recognition that they remain the foundation upon which all leadership structures are built. The need for citizens to become responsible to create balanced and aligned foundation. 

·        To educate citizens of the wrong notion for blaming leaders alone on the woes of the continent, helping them to recognize the fact that a citizen of today is the leader of another day and, that citizens’ produces their leaders in accordance with their prevailing nature.

7.       How does working on these issues contribute to the promotion of citizen’s human rights?

·        The rights of responsible citizens have never been freely violated in the history of man without adequate reciprocal punishment to the violator. Dictatorial leaders of the past who deliberately violated the rights of responsible citizens ends up in disaster, however, irresponsible citizens often attracts bad leaders to themselves who are naturally processing multiple evils than they have and violently violating their rights as a way of creating balance until such leader will destroy itself.

8.       Who are the beneficiaries/target groups of the ACDF?

·        We have the youth program that intends to catch them young and mold them properly for the global development challenges of the 21^st century. ACDF Citizens Re-alignment programme is meant to re-orientate the adults towards building a cultured society. In summary, ACDF programmes targets the entire African citizenry.

9.       Is ACDF a women’s organization?

·        Not specifically, but women position is rated high at ACDF being the major stakeholder in the development of Africa. The old culture of gender disparity of the past centuries will be corrected.  Woman will be made to be recognized as partner not servant especially as her contributions have been established as greater than that of man in all ramifications, either as a housewife or working class in her preeminence as caretaker of man itself and the children. She has the greatest stake in the future development of the continent and, so she needed to be duly recognized and encouraged for her to fulfill her role.

10.     Explain the role women play in decision making within the Foundation?

·        For example; the Vice President of the ACDF is Mrs. Moradeun Idera Ajayi-Smith and a strong force behind the establishment of the Foundation. She combined that responsibility with a portfolio of the Director of Educational Services (DES) having acquired the right education of Masters Degree in Educational Management from the Nigeria premier University: University of Ibadan. We work with women leaders across the country on our agricultural project on the platform of the ASSEFAD.

·        Jessica Healthily is the Permanent Representative of the ACDF at the United Nations in New York.  

11.     Mention five major achievement of ACDF since it began.

·        The Foundation established her first project as: The Citizens Comprehensive College (CITICOLL) on the 12^th of October 1997. The college a fully boarding co-educational school is to offer “tuition free” qualitative private secondary education to eligible African children irrespective of social class or cultural disparity.

·        The Foundation established two other schools as annexes, Citizens International in Port Novo in the Republic of Benin and Citizens Academy in Ogba, Ikeja as school II for French Development and school III as Junior Secondary School respectively.

·        ACDF has also established an Outreach centre in Lome, Republic of Togo for French Diploma in partnership with Village du Benin.

·        The Foundation established the Society for Shelter, Education, Food and Agricultural Development (ASSEFAD) for the development of agriculture and rural communities in Africa. ASSEFAD is working with more than 125000 farmers across Nigeria. ASSEFAD has introduced Clustering farming on ASSEFAD Millennium Villages managed by constituted Village-Councils and this is to be replicated in every Local Government area of the country. 

·        The Foundation prints periodic magazine; the Citizen’s Voice and monthly ACDF Newsletter

·        The Foundation single handedly sponsored the first African Citizens Forum (ACF) in Lagos, 2004.

·         The ACDF inaugurated the African Citizens Parliament (ACP) to address Citizens’ failings and to recognize their own responsibility at producing and sustaining good leaders in Africa.

·        As at the close of the 2007/2008 academic session the Foundation at the end of the seven year of graduation has a total of 418 Life-Members.

12.     How do you mean by tuition free secondary education?

·        ACDF wish to accept responsibility as stakeholder to all students admitted into the college in other to also prepare them as stakeholders for the development of the continent. Our investment, therefore, in their development is the cost of the tuition which we have made free throughout their studentship with the college. They will remain our future development partners.

13.     Why is it that only citicoll’s graduates that benefit from your scholarship programmes?

·        As stated earlier, ACDF is a stakeholder in the development of all citicoll students even after graduated from the college, while in tertiary institution and as working adult.  ACDF responsibility includes giving necessary assistance towards securing for its Life Members (Citicoll graduates) admission into tertiary institutions and excellent job as working adult. In our quest to fully participate in their development, university scholarship is given to members based on excellence performance and or humanitarian consideration. This is the preserve of the ACDF Life-members as our future development partners.      

14.     Does ACDF influence legislation or public policy continentally? If so how?

·        Yes, the Foundation comments from time to time on salient national issues and from time-to-time present memorandum to various governments in Nigeria, ECOWAS and the AU on issues relating to the continental developmental challenges in the continent. ACDF regular advocacy often influences government policies within the continent.

15.     What are the ACDF major sources of funding?

·        Since inception in 1995 and to date in 2008, funding of all ACDF projects have come from the Founder and other members of Trustees. We have done this to position the Foundation properly as a serious organization before the international donors and donor agencies will be more comfortable to relate with credible organizations as partners on various development initiative in the continent.   

16.     Any need for partnership?

·        The development challenges in the continent demands for active participation of local and international partners, strong networking amongst development agencies are imperative more than ever before. ACDF at this level of its efforts to actively participate in sustainable development within the continent will have no other option than to seek for working relationship with partners from all over the world who will assist it to fulfill its vision.

17.     Why and with whom?

·        As enumerated above, ACDF intends to replicate all its projects throughout the continent. The Citizens Colleges is intended for 100 locations across the continent. We are planning for Citizens Vocational Institute (CVI) and the Citizens University. We intend to invade all the rural areas for agriculture and rural development and to sustainable food security. We are open to work with all development practitioners looking for credible organization to work with in Africa.

18.     Is ACDF Affiliate with other organizations?

·        ACDF is affiliated with the following organization:

1.     CIVICUS for Citizens participation, www.civicus.org

2.     ECAS, www.ecas.org

3.     ACEVO, www.acevo.org.uk

4.     NACEVO, www.nacevo.org

ACDF has an Associate Status with the Department of Public Information (DPI) and Special Consultative Status of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.