Africa must learn from past leaders, says UN deputy chief

The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, has stressed the need for Africa to draw lessons from the experiences of past leaders to prepare the next generation of ethical and visionary leaders.

Mohammed stated this on Wednesday when she visited the Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Prof. Elvis Otobo, the media consultant to the Deputy Chief Executive of OOLI, Prof. Samuel Daramola.

Mohammed described the institute as a platform where leadership experiences could be preserved, discussed, and passed on to future generations.

She said, “OOLI is a place for leadership to be discussed, a leadership to be remembered. Leadership for us to stand on the shoulders of those who have been there is important.

“Africa as a continent must draw lessons from the experiences of past leaders to prepare the next generation of ethical and visionary leaders

“For us, this is a demonstration of a legacy of a life that is not yet done, is still leading, and this is really important.”

The statement said the former Minister of Environment subsequently held a closed-door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of OOLI.

It added that the meeting focused on peacebuilding, sustainable development, youth leadership and strengthening governance institutions across Africa.

According to the statement, Obasanjo said the institute was established to ensure that leadership development in Africa was based on experience, scholarship and practice.

He said, “Our goal at OOLI is to ensure that leadership in Africa is not left to chance.

“We are building a space where experience, scholarship, and practice meet—so that future leaders do not start from zero, but from a foundation of tested wisdom and global engagement.”

During the visit, Mohammed also held a strategic conversation with Daramola, who is a member of the institute’s Board of Trustees.

Speaking on behalf of the Director of the Institute, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, Daramola described the UN deputy chief’s visit as an endorsement of OOLI’s work in leadership development.

He said, “Having the UN Deputy Secretary-General at OOLI is both an honour and a validation of our work.

“Her reflections on legacy, continuity, and standing on the shoulders of proven leaders speak directly to why OOLI exists.

“We are committed to translating these values into concrete programmes that impact communities, institutions, and future leaders across Africa and beyond.”

The institute said Mohammed’s visit further positioned OOLI as a strategic platform for global conversations on governance, development and leadership transformation.