6th March, 2024
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), on the award of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership.
Adesina joins the pantheon of other previous winners of the award such as Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka; former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, and lawyer-educationist, Chief Afe Babalola.
Tinubu, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale on Wednesday commended the AfDB President for his visionary and noble endeavour to transform agriculture in Africa and ensure food security on the continent, recalling the growth enhancement schemes revolutionizing Nigeria’s agriculture value chains he introduced as the then Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The President acknowledged Adesina’s unblemished records, tried and tested integrity, as well as his immense leadership and development strides, particularly in agriculture, efforts of which had earned him numerous honours and recognition globally, including the World Food Prize in 2017.
“President Tinubu wishes the AfDB President more success at AfDB and strength in his service to Africa and to humanity at large,” he said.