Africa is Woke! 12 Takeaways from Adebola Williams’ Speech at First #ObamaSummit in Chicago | WATCH

The second and final day of the maiden Obama Foundation Summit (#ObamaSummit) was yesterday, November 1st, and one of the highlights for us will definitely be Adebola Williams‘ powerful speech at the closing session which had the theme Collective Power.

The session explored the importance of civic organisation in providing solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. People who have found common cause are inventing and adapting solutions to solve problems in their communities and some of the leaders of such movements were on ground to share their stories. Watch full videos here.

Williams discussed how his company – RED Group – is using the media to drive development across Nigeria and the African continent. Adebola got a standing ovation from the audience, including Barack Obama, at the end of his speech.

Here are some of our takeaways:

• Africa is a very attractive place to live as a young entrepreneur, Nigeria, being a very attractive place to do business. But it wasn’t always like this, there has been a pungent smell of helplessness across the country but that narrative is changing.
• In despair lies several opportunities, especially to be pioneers and to take initiatives.
• There is no one force stronger and more powerful than an inspired, empowered human being. Likewise, there is nothing more dangerous than a human who is hopeless; he is a ticking time bomb, with nothing to live for.
• The currency of this generation is talent.
• The media is the most powerful estate in the world – it determines choices.
• Media must drive agendas, it must shape the conversation, it must drive action.
• Our presidential election wins in Africa was not about the candidate, but that the voices of the citizenry counted.
• Africa is woke!
• Nothing can be more powerful than a committed group, no matter the size.
• The citizen must never stop demanding from those we have contracted to supply us governance.
• Hope is our weapon, media is our tool, and action is our remedy
• The highest office of the land, is not that of the president, but that of the citizen, it is you

Watch below: