The 41st Omolayole Management Lecture Series will, this year, turn the spotlight on Africa’s creative sector and its untapped economic potential, with stakeholders set to explore how the continent can better own its narratives, protect intellectual rights and secure meaningful returns from its talents and innovations.
Co-host of this year’s edition, President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Gabriel Idahosa, who spoke during a media briefing yesterday, in Lagos, described the lecture themed, “Plotlines of Prosperity: African Stories, African Rights and African Returns,” as a transformative call to action.
Idahosa, who was represented by his deputy, Leye Kupoluyi, said the lecture would examine how Africans can shape their own stories, safeguard their rights and ensure that investments yield not only financial profits but also social and cultural benefits.
“This lecture invites us to pause and reflect on how Africa narrates its journey, secures its rightful place in global affairs and leverages its distinctive strengths to build a future of prosperity for its people. By interrogating the plotlines of prosperity, we are committing ourselves to a deeper understanding of how narratives shape perception, how rights secure dignity and how returns must be maximised for sustainable growth.”
The lecture, instituted in 1985 in honour of Dr. Michael Omolayole, has grown into one of Nigeria’s longest-running and most respected management discourse platforms, with four decades of sustained engagement on business, leadership and development.
Chairman of the organising committee, Marcel Matthew, underscored the uniqueness of this year’s edition, revealing that, for the first time, the keynote address will be delivered by a creative writer rather than a corporate executive.
However, renowned Kenyan author, Yvonne Adhiambo Awuor, whose works include Dust, The Dragonfly and Weight of Whispers, will headline the lecture. According to him, the choice of a literary voice reflects Africa’s growing influence in the creative economy and the need to ensure creators benefit fully from their intellectual property.
“We know we are now living in a knowledge economy. Assets are no longer just physical. Creativity is Africa’s strength; our music, books, and films have put us on the world stage. The key question is: do we truly make the returns from what we create?” Matthew said.
He said that the lecture would explore how Africans could claim ownership of their creative outputs, prevent exploitation, and ensure that rights translate into wealth and development for the continent.
Meanwhile, the lecture series, scheduled for today, September 25, 2025, at the Metropolitan Club Hall in Lagos, will also feature a panel of eminent industry leaders, including former Guinness Nigeria Managing Director, Seni Adetu, among others.
