…commends Presidents Mahama, Motlanthe, Sall, Gurib-Fakim for their roles

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Tuesday disclosed that the new Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute (OOLI) is not only an institute, but also a movement aimed at reclaiming Africa’s leadership narrative.

“And to invest in a new generation of principled, prepared, and people-focused leaders,” Obasanjo stated at the formal inauguration of the Governing Board at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

In a statement made available to newsmen by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo admonished Board members to be guided by the conviction that Africa’s greatest asset is its people — and that with the right leadership, there is no limit to what can be achieved for the continent and the world, in collaboration with other regions.

The disclosure came as the former President commended the President of Ghana, John Mahama; former President of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe; former President of Senegal, Macky Sall; and former President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, for their roles in leadership development in Africa.

Obasanjo, the Institute’s Board Chairman, recalled that the establishment was borne out of his over seven decades of observing leadership development. According to him:

“Today marks not just the inauguration of the Governing Board of the Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute (OOLI), but the formal launch of the operational phase of a vision — a vision that has been shaped by my experiences and convictions spanning over seven decades.

“For more than 70 years, I have observed and engaged with the complex tapestry of Africa’s developmental journey. While our continent is rich in human and natural endowments, we have persistently fallen short in translating this potential into sustainable development, peace, and prosperity — largely due to deficits in leadership at various levels. Through the triumphs and the trials, one fault line has remained stubbornly persistent: the deficit in effective, ethical, transformational, inspirational, and visionary leadership. This leadership gap has often been the difference between progress and stagnation, between peace and conflict, between prosperity and poverty.

“The establishment of the Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute (OOLI) is one of my earnest responses to this challenge. I conceived OOLI as a platform to raise and strengthen leaders who are not only equipped for today’s realities, but also prepared to navigate the complexities of tomorrow.

“Today, I am pleased to formally announce that the Institute, which has received the blessing of the National Universities Commission as an affiliate of Bells University of Technology, is now ready for the full take-off of its programmes. This is not just an institutional milestone — it is a personal dream fulfilled.

“Our mission is clear: to equip leaders at all levels with the skills, capability, understanding, technology, values, orientation, and vision necessary to transform our nations individually, and our continent collectively.

“The OOLI will be a hybrid. Though initially headed by a former military general, it will not be a military organisation, but will borrow what is good from the military. It is blessed by the NUC as an affiliate of Bellstech, but it is not an entirely academic university. It will draw from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in some respects, but will not be a replica. It will be unique in every way,” he said.

To Obasanjo, “This is a significant milestone, and I am confident that OOLI will become a beacon of excellence in leadership education, preparation, and practice. We will collaborate and network with organisations and institutions with similar aims and objectives for beneficial interactions and mutual exchange.”

Obasanjo particularly commended the President of Ghana, John Mahama, for coming to commission the Institute last year, and shared his impression of Mahama’s governance a few months after his inauguration.

“I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to His Excellency, President John Mahama, for graciously commissioning the headquarters of OOLI on 5 March 2024. Your unwavering support and commitment to the cause of leadership development in Africa are both inspiring and invaluable. Even within a few months of your presidency in Ghana, your imprint on the development of that great country is clear for all to see. On many development indicators, Ghana is surging forward.

“Your presence with us today to formally inaugurate this Board is a testament to your belief in the power of leadership to change destinies and create giants out of Lilliputians.”