The principles and legacies of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, will continue to inspire current and future generations in their quest for good governance, President Bola Tinubu said yesterday. He said the cherished principles have withstood the tests of time and geography, through the instrumentality of time itself. President Tinubu, who spoke at the 2024 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership ceremony held at Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, led other statesmen in extolling the virtues of the late pan-African nationalist.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu alluded to the power of time to judge fairly, noting that it is only time that defines the tough decisions, character and sacrifices a leader has to make in his bid make a difference. According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Information, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, the President described the late Awo as a compass and guiding light for many generations of leaders. President Tinubu, in his address titled: ‘Leadership: An Alliance with Time,’ observed that understanding Awolowo’s teachings requires coming to terms with “the obscured reality of leadership,” adding that “overcoming the conspiracies of mischief-makers, skeptics, and saboteurs” is the first test every true leader must undergo. President Tinubu recalled how Awolowo contended with forces within and outside his political party, saying that the sage was a victim of his ambition to make a difference.
