The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation has announced that the 2026 edition of its yearly Obafemi Awolowo Memorial lecture will hold on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the historic Efunyela Hall in Ikenne.

According to the Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, this year’s theme, “Politics as Future-Making: Awolowo and Leadership as Theory of Action.” is particularly significant in light of the pressing need for visionary and ethical leadership across Africa.

The lecture, according to her, seeks to interrogate and illuminate the enduring relevance of Obafemi Awolowo’s political philosophy, particularly his conception of leadership as purposeful, disciplined, and anchored in social transformation.
The event will be chaired by elder statesman, diplomat and former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, whose lifelong commitment to principled public service mirrors the values the Foundation upholds.

The Guest Lecturer is distinguished scholar and public intellectual, Wale Adebanwi, who is also a Presidential Penn Compact Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, United States (U.S.).

Adebanwi is widely respected for his penetrating scholarship on African politics, governance, and leadership, and is expected to deliver a thought-provoking address that situates Awolowo’s ideas within contemporary debates about statecraft, democratic responsibility, and national development.