President Bola Tinubu has extolled the virtues of the first premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saying his principles have withstood the tests of time and geography.
Just like the late sage, whom he said had been a dependable ally of time, the President identified the power of time to judge fairly, noting that it is only time that defines the tough decisions, character and sacrifices a leader has to take to make a difference.
Speaking on Wednesday during the 2024 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership in Lagos, President Tinubu described the late Awolowo as a compass and guiding light for several generations of leaders.
The Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, a prestigious, biennial, international prize that follows a rigorous process of nomination and subsequent screening by a selection committee, celebrates the democratic and development-oriented ideals of Chief Awolowo, a foremost Pan-African nationalist.
Legacies
President Tinubu who was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima observed that understanding Chief Awolowo’s teachings requires coming to terms with “the obscured reality of leadership,” even as he said that “overcoming the conspiracies of mischief-makers, sceptics, and saboteurs” is the very first test every true leader must undergo.
Delivering the President’s address titled, “Leadership: An Alliance with Time,” Senator Shettima stated: “For the great sage from Ikenne, his enduring impact persists despite revisionist efforts. Time sifts through biases and lies, and hidden agendas and propaganda. Time delivers to us the naked truth that defines the tough decisions and sacrifices every sincere leader must make to create a difference.
“But, in all we do, we must always find strength in the belief of those who trust the process, those who give us the benefit of the doubt. There is no greater honour than the privilege to lead one’s people, and assuming a position of leadership during times of turbulence is the ultimate test of our mettle as leaders.
“It is in these moments of uncertainty that true character and capability come to the forefront. While the immediate judgment may be rendered by the people we either impress or displease, the long-term verdict is carved by time, the passage of time.”
The President recalled how Chief Awolowo contended with forces both within and outside his political party, stating that the great sage was a victim of his ambition to make a difference and was dragged by a hostile opposition until he found himself behind bars.
Galant Patriot
He however noted that with time, even the harshest of Awolowo’s critics came to realize the futility of taking a man who stood out, even in death, because he refused to compromise his convictions for granted.
“He (Awolowo) fought until his very last days in defence of democracy in Nigeria, and these are the examples that make him a hero of the nation. There is no doubt that time has been Chief Awolowo’s ally. Time has revealed the enduring impact of his ideas and actions,” President Tinubu said.
Winner
He congratulated the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adeṣina, for clinching the 2023 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, describing the former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture as a “maverick change-maker who has not only flown our flag all over the world but has dazzled the world with the novelty of his thoughts, indispensability of his ideas, and dynamism of his actions”.
Adesina won the 2023 prize to become its fourth recipient after Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka; former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, and legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola had clinched the prize meant to encourage, recognise, reward and celebrate excellence in leadership.
Also speaking at the event, Dr Adesina recalled the visionary leadership and legacies of the late sage, Awolowo which, according to him, spreads across education, healthcare and infrastructure development.
The AfDB President who delivered the prize lecture, said the award has humbled, inspired and motivated, even as he pledged to support initiatives that will transform more lives and livelihoods across Africa.
Dominica Nwabufo
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