The 2023 award of the Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ Prize for Leadership, an initiative of the Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ Foundation, will be made on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
The Foundation, following a rigorous selection process by a panel of eminent Nigerians, announced in December 2023 that Dr Akinwumi Adeṣina, CON (Preṣident of the African Development Bank) had been picked as winner of the prize.
The actual presentation of the prize, which consists of a plaque, medal and the certificate of award, will be made at a ceremony expected to draw a wide array of distinguished Nigerian and global exemplars on the 6th of March, beginning from 11am.
Dr Adesina, winner of the 2023 Leadership prize, will deliver a lecture at that occassion.
Special performances, musical celebration, goodwill messages, as well as video documentaries on Chief Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ, Dr Adesina and the Foundation, which was set up in 1992 to preserve Awo’s intellectual legacy, are decided features
of the event.
The documentary on Chief Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ seeks to refresh the national memory concerning critical milestones in his political career with a view to teasing out, in a didactic fashion, edifying lessons for a generation groping for direction and leadership renewal.
Former Head of State and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ Foundation, General Yakubu Gowon, as well as Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chairman of the eminent Selection Committee will be present at the occasion.
Special Gueṣtṣ of Honour include His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, several Visiting Heads of State, former Heads of State from within and outside Nigeria, State Governors, Royal Fathers and other distinguished Nigerians. The event will be chaired by Her Excellency, Samia
Suluhu Haṣṣan, Preṣident of the United Republic of Tanzania.
The high billings of the event centre around the showcasing of the spirit of excellence and outstanding leadership attributes for which Chief Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ was renowned.
The event is also expected to encourage the dignity of labour and sign-post the culture of productivity.
The idea of the leadership prize, it will be recalled, derives from the special dialogue of the Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ Foundation held in July 2011 with the theme, “Transformational Leadership and Good Governance: Lessons from the Awolọwọ Example”.
It was observed on that occasion that one of the greatest challenges confronting Nigeria is leadership deficit. It was recommended at that dialogue that an Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ Prize for Leadership be instituted for the purpose of recognizing excellence and benchmarking key leadership attributes associated with Chief Awolọwọ.
The Foundation is gratified that Dr Akinwumi Adesina, whose nomination was unanimously made by the Selection Committee, headed by the globally acclaimed technocrat and diplomat, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, graciously accepted the nomination, describing it as ‘deeply personal’ and ‘a treasured recognition that will
inspire (him) for the rest of (his) life…’
The March 6 event seeks to mainstream and to celebrate a revered genre of outstanding contribution which at once uplifts the national soul and regales humanity.
It is the Foundation’s hope that the prize for leadership, being made to such a globally acclaimed awardee, will assist in restructuring national values, as well as send a powerful message concerning the desirability of transformational leadership and a revival of productivity ethics.
Attendance at the event iṣ ṣtrictly by invitation.
Ambaṣṣador Dr Ọlatokunbọ Awolọwọ Doṣumu, Executive Director announces for the Foundation.
