The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation has announced the 2026 edition of its annual Obafemi Awolowo Memorial Lecture, scheduled for Friday, March 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. The event will hold at the historic Efunyela Hall.
The theme of the 2026 lecture is “Politics as Future-Making: Awolowo and Leadership as Theory of Action.” According to the Foundation, the theme reflects the urgent need for visionary, ethical, and transformational leadership across Africa.
In a statement issued by the Executive Director of the Foundation, Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, the theme was described as both timely and significant, particularly given the governance challenges confronting many African states.
She explained that the lecture will critically examine and highlight the enduring relevance of Obafemi Awolowo’s political philosophy. The focus, she noted, will be on his conception of leadership as purposeful, disciplined, and anchored in social transformation.
“The Foundation remains committed to sustaining rigorous engagement with Chief Awolowo’s ideas and their applicability to contemporary governance challenges,” she stated.
The annual memorial lecture serves as a platform for intellectual reflection on Awolowo’s legacy and its implications for public policy, democratic development, and leadership practice in Nigeria and beyond.
