hree days ago, I came across a post by Kelechi Deca, who I suppose is in Abidjan, announcing the election of a new President at the African Development Bank (AfDB) on May 29, 2025. It immediately brought my thoughts to the man who has led the institution with vision and distinction since 2015 - Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. I have long felt compelled to write about him, but the moment never quite presented itself. Now, as he prepares to hand over the reins, the opportunity to reflect on his remarkable legacy is not one I could allow to pass. "This is not a job. This is a mission." These words, spoken by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina as he prepared to conclude a monumental decade at the helm of the African Development Bank (AfDB), ring with the kind of purpose that has defined every step of his extraordinary, and frankly, unbelievable life. As Africa bids farewell to one of her most illustrious sons in his capacity as AfDB President, we look back not just at tenure, but at a legacy, a life's work etched in transformation, transparency, and tireless devotion to the continent.
Born on February 6, 1960, in the ancient city of Ibadan, Nigeria, to a family of farmers, Adesina's story is one of perseverance and brilliance. His early years were steeped in the rhythms of rural life, an existence that would later shape his fierce commitment to agriculture and food security across Africa. From Ejigbo Baptist High School to the halls of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), young Akin quickly distinguished himself. In 1981, he graduated with First Class Honors in Agricultural Economics. By so doing, he became the first in the history of the Faculty of Agriculture to earn this distinction. It was the first of many firsts. Determined to push further, he journeyed to the United States, earning his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in 1988. There, he was awarded the university's Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis Prize, a fitting prelude to a career marked by exceptional achievement. Even amid his academic rigor, Adesina remained grounded. He married Grace, his lifelong partner, at the age of 24, and together they co-founded a Christian fellowship group that nurtured African students' faith abroad.
Dr. Adesina's professional journey reads like a blueprint for developmental impact. From 1990 to 1995, he served as a senior economist at the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA) in Côte d'Ivoire. His brilliance caught the attention of the Rockefeller Foundation, where he rose through the ranks as a senior scientist, Southern African representative, and associate director for food security between 1988 and 2008. At the Rockefeller Foundation, he became a pan-African leader, championing agricultural transformation as a catalyst for economic growth. His role at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) as Vice President for Policy and Partnerships further solidified his belief that African agriculture could be big business, and not just subsistence.
Dr Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina (AAA), a first-class intellectual, consummate administrator and a go-getter: Outgoing President, African Development Bank (AfDB)
*
But it was in Nigeria, as Minister of Agriculture from 2010 to 2015, that he truly redefined his country's agrarian landscape. His tenure witnessed sweeping reforms, including sanitizing the decades-long corruption in fertilizer distribution, establishing electronic wallet systems, and shifting fertilizer subsidy management to the private sector. Under his watch, with Goodluck Jonathan as president, Nigeria's food import bills plummeted and productivity soared. Forbes Africa named him African Person of the Year in 2013, calling him "a man on a mission to help Africa feed itself." Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, now Director General of the World Trade Organization, who was also in the federal cabinet, said that it was easier to work with Mr. Adesina than previous ministers. "It is not only about doling out subsidies which do not reach farmers," she said. "That was frustrating for me the first time [I was finance minister]. Now he came and cleaned up the fertilizer issues." But that chapter was short-lived, and so, as it often happens, were the transformational reforms. Following Goodluck Jonathan's loss in the 2015 election, Muhammadu Buhari assumed the presidency, and with that transition, Dr. Adesina's tenure as Minister came to an end. It was time for him to embrace a new challenge That challenge came the very same year; one that would take his vision for Africa to an even greater stage. Adesina was elected President of the African Development Bank, becoming the first Nigerian to hold the post. What followed was a decade of transformation that reshaped the institution's trajectory and repositioned it as a global development leader.
By 2025, under the stewardship of the snappy dresser, the AfDB had experienced an unprecedented 241.9% increase in capital, growing from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion. The African Development Fund, the Bank's concessional window, also saw its largest replenishment ever, raising $8.9 billion. Through smart investments and policy innovation, the AfDB under Adesina impacted half a billion Africans across all corners of the continent. But the road was not without its thorns. As Dr. Adesina approached the end of his first term and prepared for re-election in 2020, political headwinds emerged, this time from outside the continent. Under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, a wave of resistance arose within the African Development Bank, aimed squarely at halting Adesina's second term. On January 19, 2020, a group within the Bank, acting under the guise of whistleblowers, submitted a petition to the Bank's Ethics Committee. The petition accused Adesina of 16 ethical violations. Adesina dismissed the allegations as vague and made in bad faith.
Behind the scenes, a splinter group of petitioners alleged manipulation by a bloc of non-regional Executive Directors, particularly Steven Dowd, the U.S. nominee to the Board. They claimed there was an orchestrated effort, driven largely by American interests, to discredit Adesina and derail his candidacy. The Ethics Committee thoroughly investigated the claims and exonerated Adeshina of all wrongdoing. However, Trump's United States rejected the committee's findings and called for an independent investigation, contrary to the Bank's internal governance protocols. It was clear to the casual observer that the heart of the tension was geopolitical anxiety: the United States, concerned about China's growing influence and investment in Africa, saw Adesina's leadership as insufficiently aligned with its own interests. In response to U.S. pressure, an Independent Review Panel was formed, chaired by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland.
On July 27, 2020, the panel issued its report, clearing Adesina of any ethical misconduct. The panel found his submissions "consistent with innocence and persuasive." Exactly one month later, on August 27, 2020, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina was unanimously re-elected as President of the African Development Bank Group. In his acceptance speech, he reminded the world that AfDB had been ranked the fourth most transparent public institution in the world. Wearing his elegant suit and colorful bow tie, in his characteristic resolve, he pledged to further strengthen the Bank's governance and accountability. And so, his leadership continued and bore innovations that were firsts for any multilateral development bank: the introduction of hybrid capital instruments, synthetic securitization, and a $3 billion COVID-19 Social Bond, followed by a $10 billion crisis response facility. These initiatives exemplified his unmatched ability to respond to complex crises with bold and intelligent finance.
Adesina modernized the Bank's development approach, focusing on five high-impact priorities - the High 5s: Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. These pillars remain a benchmark for targeted, measurable development. Yet his impact wasn't only financial, it was deeply human. As he told journalists in Abidjan during his final annual meeting as president, "Grey from holding nothing back in service of the people of Africa." The greying of his hair, he noted with wry affection, was the visible toll of an invisible fire, of giving everything to a vision greater than himself. Behind the public achievements is a man of quiet spirituality, grounded deeply in faith and family. His wife Grace and sons Rotimi and Segun have stood beside him through a life of intense scrutiny and service. At Purdue, he was not just a scholar, but a spiritual mentor, forming enduring communities among African diaspora students. He brings the same moral compass to governance.
From declaring war on Africa's "white elephant projects" to demanding greater cross-border cooperation, he has never shied from bold ideas. He has clashed with political authorities, even in his home country. On May 2, 2025 Adesina jolted an Abuja policy forum when he declared that Nigeria's GDP per capita has collapsed from $1,847 at independence in 1960 to about $824 today, insisting this meant "Nigerians are now significantly worse off than they were 64 years ago." On the African front, he has called for the creation of an "African Google", a transnational electricity market, and a regional stock exchange, ideas that move Africa closer to a future of inclusive prosperity. This is not a man who believes in isolationism. Rather, in his public life, he has advocated for greater and more inclusive economic integration of African markets.
Dr. Adesina's brilliance has not gone unnoticed. He has been showered with international awards and decorations, including the 2017 World Food Prize (widely regarded as the "Nobel Prize for Agriculture"), multiple honorary doctorates, and national honours from countries across Africa - including Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, and The Gambia. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon appointed him to lead advocacy for the Millennium Development Goals. He has been named Forbes Africa Person of the Year twice and in 2024, was awarded the prestigious Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya. As Dr. Akinwumi Adesina steps down today from the presidency of the AfDB, he does so not in retreat, but as a man whose chapter may be closing, but whose book is far from finished. The continent, and indeed the world, has not seen the last of him. He leaves behind a transformed institution, a strengthened continent, and a beacon of possibility for the next generation of African leaders. He has given everything, and in doing so, has changed everything.
O Africa, sing of your son.
Sing of the farmer's child who became your banker, your builder, your beacon.
Sing of Adesina, who dared to dream, and dared even more to deliver.
Not for glory, but for you.
Always for you.
*Adeoti is a mechanical engineer, author and socio-economic and innovative analyst based in Abuja, FCT. He can be reached at [email protected]
SHOULD IBRAHIM BADAMASI BABANGIDA (1985-1993) BE ARRESTED AND TRIED AT THE ICC, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS?
*
THE JESUS CHRIST SOLUTION CENTER & E-CONGREGATION ASSEMBLY YOUTUBE CHANNELS DEBUTS
We are called to proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Jesus Christ we proclaim is God Incarnate born sinless. He lived as human, though He is God to save us from Satan. He died on the Cross to shed His Blood for our sins to satisfy the righteous demand of a Holy God that without the shedding of blood, no forgiveness of sins. He paid the ransom for our sins. On the Third Day, He resurrected and today, He has the Power and Authority in heaven, on earth and in the nether gloom, because Death could not hold Him since He did not sin but took the punishment in our stead. He is reigning in the hearts of us who have put our trust and faith in Him. He is coming back to take us who are His Own to where He has promised to prepare for us, heaven. While we expect His imminent return, we appeal to you to forsake your sinful ways and join us together to fight our common enemy: Satan. Join us in the spiritual battle for the souls of human beings and make heaven. Don't go to hell.
Finally, the Holy Spirit moved and instructed us to debut on YouTube. At last, we are now ready to take the world for our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ Amen.
Click to Watch our Channel now:
http://www.youtube.com/@MoshoodFayemiwo2007
The Lord Jesus Christ moved mightily in fall 2023 in South Africa by exposing the Kingdom of Darkness. Here was what the Holy Spirit taught us. What is witchcraft? How are humans initiated? What are the reasons people ventures into this dark act? How do witches operate and how do they summon demons? What are the signs of witchcraft activities in today's church and how to recognize witches and wizards masquerading as "pastors" and workers in the church? How can you overcome their activities in your Christian Life? Watch the though-provoking expose now on our YouTube Channel: -
http://www.youtube.com/@MoshoodFayemiwo2007
WE HAVE A SEAT FOR YOU AT THE E-CONGREGATION ASSEMBLY. MEET US GOOGLE MEET NOW!
To join the meeting on Google Meet, click this link:
https://meet.google.com/sda-viuf-yrr
Or open Meet and enter this code: sda-viuf-yrr
Now that you have accepted our Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ which He truly is, you need to saturate yourself with the Word of God so you can grow in your new faith. You need to change and renew your mind with the Words of God which are contained in the Greatest Book on earth given to humanity as a compass to navigate our paths in this Satanically-controlled and demon-infested earth following the fall of our First Parents in the Garden of Eden. That Book is the Holy Bible. The three basic reason for this is that the secular education has been totally corrupted by Satan hence, the Holy Spirit commanded us in Romans 12: 2:" Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing, and perfect will." You can't discover His Will for your life now that you are one of His Own until you read His Word. Second, there is a spiritual war afoot and in the not-too-distant Time Street over your life now that you are a child of the King. Satan and his demons, including their human agents will fight to bring you back to their cursed and darkened kingdom. You need to know how to fight through the deployment of the Word of God, because from now onward, "… our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:12-17). Thirdly, you need the Word of God for good success according to Joshua 1:8: "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."
We will love you to join our weekday Bible Class from Monday to Friday. Our normal E-Congregation Assembly Bible Classes at Cameron TX is through Goggle Meet. To join the meeting on Google Meet, click this link: https://meet.google.com/sda-viuf-yrr Or open Meet and enter this code: sda-viuf-yrr
Time: 3:30pm Texas Time/4:30pm New York EST/10:30pm Nigeria/12:30am following day in Kenya. Its 4:30pm EST in the United States. Click this link for your Time Zone https://dateful.com/world-clock.
We would love to see and welcome you to our midst. We are drawn from four Continents of Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia at our 5-Day Monday to Friday Bible Classes and be rest assured there is a seat waiting for you among the children of the Most High God. Our Teacher is the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-16) and all of us are His children and students. You are blessed as we anticipate your congregation with us in Jesus Mighty Name Amen.
. You can also visit our websites at: - https://tocu.education/ and https://tocu.online/
