Funmi Ogundare
The Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute (OOLI) recently held its first convocation and induction ceremony as part of its efforts to rebuild the culture of leadership in Nigeria and across Africa.
The program, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, highlighted the urgent need for ethical, visionary and development-oriented leadership on the continent.
In his convocation lecture titled “Leadership and Economic Development,” Prof. Banji Oelaran Oyinka, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Industrialization, African Development Bank Group, explained that leadership reform is the cornerstone of economic growth and national transformation.
He noted that leadership remains a decisive factor in determining a nation’s social, political and economic outcomes. He noted that Nigeria’s weak institutions, poor policy implementation, predatory governance and over-reliance on natural resources are major constraints to development.
Oyinka said while countries such as Singapore, South Korea, Rwanda, Vietnam and China have achieved rapid development through disciplined leadership, results-based governance and purposeful industrial policies, Nigeria continues to suffer from a gap between vision and execution.
He called on Nigeria to strengthen institutions, adopt values-based recruitment, industrialize agriculture and make sustained investments in human capital.
Mr. Oyinka also appealed to OOLI to consider establishing a Nigerian Youth Leadership Academy to develop future leaders based on ethics, competence and public service.
In his address, Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman of the OOLI Board of Directors and former President, who led the call and induction of the graduates, congratulated the inductees. He reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to producing leaders who prioritize national interest over personal gain.
OOLI Director and Chief Executive Officer, General Martin Luther Agwai (retired), said the institute is a strategic response to Africa’s long-standing leadership deficit.
“OOLI was conceived as a nursery school for nurturing a new breed of leaders, a hub for practical and experiential leadership training, and a platform to drive development from the grassroots to the global level,” Mr. Agwai said.
The Institute’s Deputy Chief Executive, Professor Samuel Daramola, assured stakeholders that OOLI will continue to partner with trusted global institutions to deliver world-class practice-based leadership education tailored to Africa’s unique realities.
Graduates who attended the ceremony praised the institute’s impact.
Seun Adelibigbe, senior pastor of Redeemer Church of Christ and a legal practitioner, commended the quality of training and recommended OOLI’s leadership program for secondary school governors. He explained that the program reflected Obasanjo’s enduring legacy in leadership development.
Ambassador Deji Borsemihi, Managing Director of Midfield Insurance Brokers Limited, said the institute’s curriculum promotes a new model of African democracy that is tailored to Africa’s development needs. He urged organizations to adopt OOLI’s programs for leadership renewal.
Professor Elvis Otobo, another inductee, praised the caliber of the institute’s international faculty and Mr. Obasanjo’s practical insights into Africa’s leadership challenges.
