Our Reporter
The Executive Director of the foundation, Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, who disclosed this at the Obafemi Awolowo Lecture 2026 held at the Efunyela hall, Ikenne Remo on Friday, said the initiative was in line with the ideals and legacies of the sage and would be opened to young people between 20 and 35 years from Nigeria and beyond.
According to her, many young people are discovered to be navigating economic uncertainty and deep social inequalities across the continent of Africa.
She said, “This Fellowship is inspired by the enduring legacy of Chief Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ, a leader who showed us that principled governance, social justice, and human development, especially through education, are the true foundations of national progress.
“Across Africa today, young people are navigating economic uncertainty and deep social inequalities. Yet they are also extraordinarily talented, globally connected, and full of ideas. What many need is structured support, mentorship, and a values-based leadership framework.
“The Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ Future Leaders Fellowship is designed to bridge that gap and to connect transformational leadership ideals with the realities of governance and public life.
“Our vision is simple but powerful: to build a pan-African network of future leaders shaped by Awo’s ideals. Through the Fellowship, participants will engage deeply with leadership philosophy, sharpen their personal effectiveness, receive one-on-one mentorship, and collaborate on projects that address real societal challenges”.
The executive director added that the programme aims to nurture a vibrant alumni community that continues to grow in influence and impact, saying that admission to the programme will be competitive and merit-based.
“Our expectation is that each cohort will emerge with deeper ethical clarity, stronger execution capacity, and accelerated impact in their respective fields. We also hope that the Fellowship will help make Awo’s ideas freshly relevant to a new generation of change-makers.
“In this regard, we invite all who believe that service to the people must remain the core of leadership, to partner with us. Investing in leadership formation is one of the most meaningful ways to preserve and extend the legacy of values that defines Awo’s legacy.”
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