Ondo State, Nigeria-The Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, Chief Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor has stated that a new philosophical mindset of leadership will usher in African Renaissance. The Board of Trustees of the University has demonstrated a prototype of true leadership needed in the era of the African Renaissance.
Madam Vice President relished the opportunity to have been selected amongst many prominent sons and daughters of the intelligentsia and expressed profound gratitude for the platform.
Speaking on the topic: “Africa Renaissance: Key for New Global Leadership Paradigm”, In order to bring about the African Renaissance, according to Vice President Howard-Taylor, a new philosophical perspective is needed. She argued that in order to create an Africa for the people that is more holistic, sustainable, inclusive, inventive, and developed, a change in attitude for a new paradigm or new pattern is required.
The vice president further hinted that a shift in philosophical perspective is required if Africa is to become the vast continent that its people so dearly want and that was created and given to us by our creator. The Vice President made the case that the discussion of the African Renaissance started throughout the eras of slavery, liberation, and struggle and that it is still going strong today during the eras of economic servitude. She claimed that despite the sacrifices made by our ancestors to free and liberate Africa, we are still held captive by economic slavery.
While planning for the education and training of this new generation, academic institutions, organizations, and families were urged to be deliberate about changing the mindset of those new leaders in order to sow seeds of positivity and eradicate or diminish negative ones. Madam Vice President also stressed the importance of the right kind of leadership in fostering and maintaining the African Renaissance. To achieve the African Renaissance, she claimed that Africa needed visionary leaders, aspirational leaders, exemplary leaders, agile leaders, compassionate leaders, leaders with honor, just leaders, selfless leaders, accountable leaders, and inspirational leaders.
She continued by asserting that it IS POSSIBLE for one leader to possess ALL the qualities of leadership, citing instances such as former Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and former South African President Nelson Mandela, among others. The Vice President came to the conclusion that the African Renaissance is not possible without leaders who are aware of the SPIRITUAL aspect of humanity. According to her, a leader must be spiritually connected and have spiritual awareness in order to be unselfish, wise, and incisive when making judgments and guiding the African people.
While in Ondo State, Liberia’s Vice President was bestowed with the Chieftaincy Title of ” “YEYE KOREDE OF ILARA-MOKIN” by His Royal Majesty Oba Abiodun Aderemi Adefehinti Agbekorun II, the Alara of Ilara-Mokin. The title means ” A Person who brings good Tidings”.
Elizade University was founded in 2013 and is a private university in Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Chief Michael Ade Ojo created the institution, which is now one of Nigeria and Africa’s best-known and fastest-growing universities.
