Award Inspiration

The Obafemi Awolowo Leadership Prize is instituted by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation on the basis of one of the major recommendations of its Special Dialogue on “Transformational Leadership and Good Governance: Lessons from the Awolowo Example”, held in July 2011. The national Prize is instituted in the name of Chief Obafemi Awolowo to reward leadership and good governance.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a Nigerian and Pan-African nationalist of global repute, was the First Premier of Nigeria’s Western region and, later, Leader of Opposition in the Federal Parliament. He was also. inter alia. Nigeria’s Federal Commissioner (now known as Minister) of Finance and Vice Chairman, Federal Executive Council. He played crucial roles in Nigeria’s constitutional and political developments in the country’s colonial and postcolonial history.

A highly revered Nigerian federalist, Chief Awolowo was variously described by Nigerian leaders, upon his transition, as “the issue in Nigerian politics” and “the best president Nigeria never had” in recognition of his indomitable role as a leader in Nigerian politics and policies.
Of particular relevance is Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s leadership bent, well acknowledged as people-centred, visionary, integrity-laden and underlined by enviable discipline. His grassroots- friendly policies and transformational approach to leadership are still evident in his various legacies.

It has been generally recognized that one of the greatest challenges facing Nigeria, and, indeed, African countries today, is the dearth, or even near- absence of good leadership. The Awolowo Prize for Leadership is therefore established to encourage, recognize, reward and celebrate excellence in Nigerian leadership.