Feature- Dr. Akinwumi Adesina: The Renewed duty to Africans

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By Kayode Awojobi

While many now refer to him as a jinx breaker, I refer to him as a successful man filled with grace, most especially with his very strong wife behind him. This is quite obvious to almost everyone who has been following the success story of the Ogun born renowned development economist and agricultural development expert. We wish our very own, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, a more remarkable tenure filled with more accomplishment than that of the last 5 years in the saddle as the President of African Development Bank.

It is a known fact that Dr Adesina in the last 5 years in office has made Africa and Nigeria in particular so proud.  Despite the hurdles on the road of his re-election, he didn’t loose calm nor concentration as his leadership kept impacting the life of Africans. His sterling qualities and achievement in the office must have appealed to the sense of the African leaders who gave him their utmost support for his re-election so that he can take Africa to a higher ground.

The re-election of Dr Adesina to the highest financial institution in Africa really calls for duties and responsibilities beyond the daily routine expected of a financial institution, it now calls for drastic steps which most be taken in order to restore the economy standard of Africa. At this point in time, it is a known fact without any prejudice that the pandemic has really affected the economy of most of the African countries and this has increased the level of poverty in the region. The resuscitation of Africa’s economy is one of the upheaval task before Dr Adesina. The economic revival must be treated as a matter of urgency in order to cushion to some extent the level of poverty and suffering in the region.

On the other hand, just as stated by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former Nigerian President, that the country is gradually turning to a failed state, this statement is indeed heartbroken, as the country which is referred to as the Giant of Africa, is really a shadow of itself. If the giant is then turning to a failed state, what then is the hope of other African countries? It is at a delicate time like this when Dr Adeshina need to use his office to restore the economy of the continent at large in order for true development to skyrocket in the continent.

Africa is indeed subtlety engulfed by civil war on her own- Ghana to Nigeria saga, Mali coup d’etat, South Africa’s Xenophobic attacks amongst others. Beyond Dr Adeshina’s role as the Economic Lead, he should see into this disgracing scenario and possibly engage all African Head of state in order to settle any form of controversies that has occurred and still occurring in the continent amicably. This will bail the continent out of becoming a laughing stock to the Western world in terms of development

As said by Dr Adesina that, “When you first elected me five years ago, I had a vision. Five years later, I have yet a vision to build on our collective achievements over the next five years. A vision to build a much stronger and resilient African Development Bank Group with the leadership and capacity to deliver greater quality impacts for the people of Africa, while remaining financially strong and sustainable.”

We therefore implore Mr President to take heed to this and make Africa at large proud by seeing his position beyond the presidency of AfDB and also setting the bar very high for subsequent AfDB President.

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