Obasanjo Launches Leadership Institute to Tackle Africa’s Governance Challenges

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has inaugurated the Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute (OOLI), a new initiative aimed at addressing the persistent leadership deficits across Africa. The launch took place at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, marking the commencement of the Institute’s operations.

Obasanjo, serving as the Chairman of OOLI’s Governing Board, emphasized that the Institute is more than an educational establishment; it’s a movement to reclaim Africa’s leadership narrative. Drawing from over seven decades of experience in leadership development, he stated that OOLI is designed to cultivate a new generation of ethical, visionary, and people-focused leaders capable of transforming the continent’s future.

The Institute has received accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) as an affiliate of Bells University of Technology. It aims to offer a hybrid model of leadership training, integrating academic rigor with practical insights from military and policy institutions, without being a military organization or a traditional university.

The Governing Board comprises distinguished African leaders and scholars, including former Presidents John Mahama (Ghana), Ameenah Gurib-Fakim (Mauritius), Kgalema Motlanthe (South Africa), and Macky Sall (Senegal). Other notable members are Professor Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank; Professor Funmi Olonisakin of King’s College London; Ambassador Barry Desker of Singapore; Professor PLO Lumumba of Kenya; and Dr. Kofo Obasanjo-Blackshire.

President Mahama, who inaugurated the Governing Board, lauded OOLI as a timely response to Africa’s enduring leadership challenges and expressed confidence in its potential to become a model for leadership development on the continent.

OOLI’s curriculum is tailored to address the multifaceted demands of 21st-century leadership, with flagship programs focusing on managing diversity, national and international mediation and peacebuilding, and high-impact leadership for women and youth. The Institute plans to collaborate with similar organizations to enhance its impact and foster a network of transformative leaders across Africa.