Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan will join other distinguished guests to explore the role of value-based leadership in Africa at the upcoming African Leadership Biblical Initiative (ABLI) conference.
Pastor Samuel Sanusi, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Nigeria, announced this during a press briefing in Lagos on Friday.
He revealed that Obasanjo will chair the five-day ABLI conference, themed “Value-Based Leadership: Model for Africa,” which is scheduled to take place from October 21 to 24, 2024, at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre in Abuja.
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The ABLI Forum is apolitical and non-denominational, aiming to foster personal and cultural transformation through leadership grounded in biblical principles.
This will be the 11th edition of the conference, following events held in 10 other African countries.
“The African continent is in dire straits. Africa is considered the least developed and the poorest continent in the world. How did we get there? The bane of the continent has been poor leadership, greed, corruption, and mismanagement.
“According to the United Nations, the least developed countries host about 40 per cent of the world’s poor and account for 13 per cent of the world’s population. Out of the 45 least developed countries listed by the United Nations, over 31 of them are in Africa.
“Through this conference, we desire to stir up the minds of our leaders to embrace leadership with integrity and fear of God. We desire to birth leaders who will lead with honesty, transparency, and a steadfast commitment to ethical principles; leaders who will take decisions that align with the core values of integrity,” the BSN boss explained.
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Sanusi emphasized the society’s goal to set a new agenda for African leaders, particularly in Nigeria, urging them to reject greed and corruption and to make intentional efforts to advance the continent’s development.
He announced that Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, will be the special guest of honor at the event, while other distinguished guests will include former Head of State Dr. Yakubu Gowon, patron of the BSN, and former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Sanusi also noted that the Chief Host will be Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Keynote speakers will include former Chief Justice of South Africa, Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, and Dr. Zienzi Dillon, founder and CEO of Carmel Global Capital in New York.
The plenary speakers, addressing the themes ‘Value of Social Harmony,’ ‘Value of Justice,’ ‘Value of Integrity,’ and ‘Value of Wisdom,’ will include Mrs. Juliet Binitie, Director of Programmes at the Institute for National Transformation Lagos; constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome; Justice Catherine Bamugemereire of the Supreme Court of Uganda; and Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi, a social reformer and Christian philosopher.
Sanusi also announced a youth assembly session themed ‘Arise and Shine: Raising a New Generation of Transformational Leaders.’ This session will feature addresses by Pastor Poju Oyemade, founder and Senior Pastor of The Covenant Nation, and Dr. Mangalwadi.
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