Atiku, Rabiu, El-Rufai to Speak at Oxford Varsity Africa Conference

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, amongst others, will be speakers at the 2021 edition of the Oxford Africa Conference (OAC) hosted by the Oxford University Africa Society scheduled for May 28th – 30th 2021.

A statement by Chibugo (Chi) Okafor, an MBA candidate at the Oxford University who is also a co-chair of this year’s conference, said that this yearly intellectual gathering brings together former and serving heads of state, policy makers, business leaders, seasoned academics, opinion leaders, artists, students and distinguished professionals of African descent.

Over the years, the conference has become a forum for critical evaluation and deliberation on Africa’s past, present and future, with the unchanging goal of charting a way forward for Africa.

The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Rewriting Our Story and Asserting Africa’s Future”.

The conference will feature practical and solution-oriented conversations centred on Africa’s development from an economic, political, environmental, security and health perspective – with emphasis on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daniel Ogoloma, a student at Oxford University and the Communications Manager for the Oxford Africa conference, captured the whole essence and mission of the conference succinctly, “Our aim is to use this conference as a platform to uplift, mobilise and propel Africans in the diaspora and on the continent. We want attendees to leave inspired enough to change the African story by implementing key strategies from the insightful reflections and discussions that stand to be held at the conference.”

According to Okafor, “Due to the current global pandemic, this will be the first virtual Oxford Africa Conference. This will open up the access to everyone that wishes to participate regardless of where they are in the world, which has not been the case in recent years where we typically have closed our doors to the wider public.”

Ogoloma believes this year’s pool of speakers and keynote speakers make an impressive roster with many prominent individuals billed to speak at the conference.

Other speakers include the CEO, Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation, Mark Suzman; former Minister of Agriculture and former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Audu Ogbeh; Founder/President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs Toyin Saraki; a former Governor of Kano State and former Minister of Defence, Rabiu Kwankwaso; the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus; digital strategist and youth leader, Seyi Tinubu; and many more distinguished personalities.