Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina deserves the 2023 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, writes Tommy Odemwingie
The title of this article is evoked from my days at The Guardian, when next-door neigbours to the features desk – the sports writing crew of Trigo Egbegi, Michel Obi and Sam John – had no doubt which of the contending team they favoured to win an impending competition.
The phraseology might as well be ascribed for now to the very respectable Chief Emeka Anyaoku CFR, CON, GCVO, chair of the Selection Committee of the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership, in announcing, on 21 December 2023, the recipient of the 2023 award.
Who is the Adesina referred to here? “After a careful, detailed and rigorous screening process, the Selection Committee was unanimous in deciding on the recipient of this year’s Prize,” said Chief Anyaoku. “I have great pleasure to inform you that the considered view of the Selection Committee is that of all the nominees presented before it, the person adjudged to possess the attributes for the award to the highest degree and therefore is the recipient of the 2023 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership is Dr. Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, CON, President of the African Development Bank.”
The eminent international bureaucrat, a former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, went on to add: “There is no doubt that many of these nominees are eminent persons who have made tremendous contributions in various spheres of life.” This is not mere diplomatese – this writer was a nominator for the particular award in focus, whose candidate (who must remain anonymous out of courtesy and deference to all) possesses quite an intimidating profile. It shows you that the Awolowo prize is closing in on the Nobel Peace Prize in status. It shows the high esteem in which Adesina, who will be presented the award at a ceremony scheduled for 6 March, 2024, is held. Fittingly, this is the birthday anniversary of Chief Awolowo.
Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (in whose cabinet Dr. Adesina served as Minister of Agriculture) is reported to have remarked on him thus: “Dr. Adesina epitomizes and combines qualities of extraordinary leadership that are often rare to find: great visionary, incredible courage, ability to take on huge and difficult challenges, extraordinary dedication and commitment, selflessness, people-centeredness, and fervour to deliver transformative programs and policies that transform the lives of millions of people.” Indeed, he has been likened to Obafemi Awolowo for his development-oriented intellect.
The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation set up the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership in April 1992 in memory of Chief Awolowo, whose intellectual and leadership legacies are legendary, to perpetuate these legacies, as well as the democratic and development-oriented ideals of the former premier of the Western Region leader of opposition in the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Foundation has sought, over the years, to pursue its mission through various activities that include the periodic hosting of dialogues designed to examine critical issues of national concern with a view to proposing viable alternative strategies for their solution.
In addition to and playing crucial roles in Nigeria’s constitutional and political development during the country’s colonial and postcolonial history, he was also the Federal Commissioner (now known as Minister of) for Finance and Vice Chairman, Federal Executive Council during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon.
His leadership was people-centred, visionary, integrity-laden and underlined by personal discipline. His grassroots-friendly policies and transformational approach to leadership are still evident in the various legacies of the late sage.
Dr. Adesina graduated from the University of Ife, Nigeria (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1981 with a First-Class Honours in Agricultural Economics, the first student to attain that feat in the field since the establishment of the university. He obtained his Master’s and PhD degrees in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University, United States of America. He has had over three decades of experience working in various leadership positions across the world.
As Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria, Dr. Adesina introduced innovative reforms such as the fertilizer sector reforms, which virtually eliminated corruption in the sector and ensured that farmers actually benefitted from government’s subsidized fertilizers. He developed a system that allowed farmers to receive electronic vouchers for seeds and fertilizers directly on their mobile phones, thereby cutting off the middlemen in the system. Not less than 15 million farmers benefitted from this scheme within four years.
Since assuming office as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Adesina has worked relentlessly to contribute to the positive transformation of the continent. He has brought leadership to bear in addressing some of the challenges confronting the continent including leading and supporting innovative efforts to fight hunger and poverty.
At the AfDB, Dr. Adesina introduced what he termed the “High 5s” namely, to light up and power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and improve the quality of life of the people of Africa. The impactful and successful nature of this programme has been widely acknowledged.
In 2019, under the leadership of Dr. Adesina, the shareholders of the African Development Bank increased the capital base of the Bank from $US93 billion to US$208 billion, an increase of over 123 percent, the highest capital increase of the Bank since its establishment in 1964.
Those who are close to Dr. Adesina attest to his uncommon leadership qualities, which include the four mostly listed — prudence (as wisdom); Justice (as fairness); temperance (as moderation/restraint); courage (as fortitude/resilience) – and more.
Of equal importance, even as he rubs shoulder with leaders of countries and business, Dr. Adesina is remarkably humble for this legion of accomplishments. He is known to maintain contacts with old friends and the less privileged and younger persons, to whom he displays his customary kind-heartedness and generosity. He demonstrated this when, at the event where he was given the World Food Prize, he announced that he would devote the $US 250,000 cash tied to the prize to supporting young people by establishing the World Hunger Fighters Foundation to support young people in the fight against global hunger. Some young people have so far benefitted from this gesture.
While at Purdue University, Adesina and his wife, along with another couple, started a Christian group called the African Student Fellowship. He and his wife, Grace, have three children, Rotimi, Emmanuel and Segun.
As Chief Anyaoku has promised, the full citation on Dr. Akinwumi Adesina will be given on 6 March.
• Odemwingie, a development communication expert, is a former features editor of The Guardian.
