Serving and former African Presidents took turns on Wednesday to praise Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), for his remarkable leadership as he received the renowned 2023 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership.
African leaders, including Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, Togo’s Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah Dogbé, and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, praised Adesina’s outstanding Pan-Africanism.
Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of the Comoros and departing Chairperson of the African Union (AU), hailed Adesina as a pragmatist, inventor, and visionary whose leadership transformed the AfDB.
“Dr Adesina has an incredible ability to bring leaders together, to dedicate and commit themselves to initiatives that transform African on a daily basis,” the president added.
Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), a former Head of State, regarded Adesina as deserving of the accolade.
Gowon said the former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture exemplifies the finest of Nigeria, praising his sterling qualities such as hard work, diligence, frightening academic and professional qualifications, among others.
“Dr. Akinwumi Adesina made an excellent decision. He embodies the best of Nigeria: industrious, dedicated, smart, forward-thinking, and genuinely patriotic,” Gowon told a room full of diplomats, current and previous presidents, and distinguished personalities in Lagos on Wednesday.
Also, nonagenarian elder statesman and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, praised Adesina’s selection as the fourth recipient of the coveted award, which was established in honor of the late sage, Awolowo. Former recipients of the coveted prize, which recognizes pan-African leadership, include Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, former South African President Thabo Mbeki, and legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola.
Anyaoku praised Adesina’s “tremendous achievement” as Nigeria’s Agriculture Minister from 2011 to 2015, as well as his “even more spectacular performance as President of the African Development Bank”.
He went on to say, “Out of the many reputable nominations received, members of the selection committee unanimously considered Dr Akinwumi Adesina as having in his career to date in a large measure, the Chief Obafemi Awolowo attribute that I have sought to describe.”
According to the renowned diplomat, Awolowo “recognised the challenge of careful management of diversity in our pluralistic country and as such articulated his belief that a true federalism is an essential condition for the peace and progress of Nigeria” and that his Pan-Africanism was well-represented in his writings and books.
The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, praised the awardee as “one of Africa’s finest visionary leaders, just like Awolowo,” adding that no one was more deserved than the AfDB President.
Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde praised the AfDB President for providing new solutions to Africa’s difficulties. “Today, we are celebrating the son of African for what he has done for being a visionary,” she went on to say.
Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan attended the occasion, and President Bola Tinubu was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Serving governors such as Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Alex Otti (Abia), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Usman Ododo (Kogi), and Mohammed Bago (Niger), as well as the Chairman of Channels Media Group, Dr. John Momoh, among many other dignitaries, attended the occasion.
