The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation is set to honor the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, with the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership on 6 March. The award aims to celebrate and recognize excellence in leadership, in line with the legacy and democratic ideals of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a Nigerian nationalist and federalist leader.
Established in 1992, the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that seeks to promote and uphold the values of visionary leadership. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina will become the third recipient of this esteemed award, following in the footsteps of Nigerian writer and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and former South African President Thabo Mbeki.
As part of the award ceremony, Dr. Adesina will deliver a keynote lecture on Chief Awolowo’s birthday, which coincides with the same day of the event. The former Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, highlighted Adesina’s extraordinary qualities of leadership, including his visionary approach, courage, dedication, and commitment to transforming the lives of millions through impactful policies and programs.
Furthermore, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair commended Adesina’s exceptional contributions to Africa and global leadership, particularly his bold initiatives to address critical challenges. Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, President Emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation, also praised Adesina’s commitment to food security and sustainable development across the African continent.
In a joint statement, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Global Center on Adaptation CEO Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen expressed their unequivocal support for Dr. Adesina, describing him as a true reflection of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s leadership legacy. The upcoming award ceremony is set to honor and recognize Adesina’s significant achievements and dedication to advancing Africa’s development agenda.
