Holy Kings Foundation to Honour African Leaders at Elites Award 2.0

Holy Kings Foundation to Honour African Leaders at Elites Award 2.0

•Summit Targets Integrity-Driven Leadership in Africa

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Holy Kings Impacts Foundation has announced plans to honour prominent African leaders, policymakers, business icons and change-makers at the African Elites Award 2.0 and Honorary Degree Conferment, scheduled to hold on Friday, May 22, 2026, in Abuja.

The event, which will take place at Hillside Events, Mobushipe, Abuja, by 5:00pm, will be held under the theme “Integrity as the Foundation of Leadership,” with a special focus on “The Roles of Parents in Building Sustainable Leaders with Integrity and Girl-Child Decency in Modern Day Civilization.”

Speaking on the objectives of the summit, the Team Leader of Holy Kings Impacts Foundation, Dr. Kings Oshifade Kayode, said the initiative was designed to draw attention to the often-overlooked role of parents in shaping ethical leadership and moral values in society.

According to him, “in a world where values are constantly under pressure, parents remain the first and most influential teachers in a child’s moral and ethical development.”

He explained that the summit would provide a platform to celebrate parents and leaders who have demonstrated integrity, discipline and commitment to nation-building, while also equipping families with strategies for raising morally sound children, particularly girls.

The event will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, cultural exhibitions, networking sessions and the conferment of African Elites Awards and Honorary Doctorate Degrees on individuals whose lives and careers exemplify integrity-driven leadership.

Dr. Kayode noted that the award ceremony would also serve as a forum for cultural reawakening, stressing that African values and traditions remain critical tools for building a society rooted in decency, accountability and service.

As part of the highlights, American Management University is expected to confer honorary doctorate degrees on selected personalities recognised for integrity and excellence across Africa.

Among the confirmed awardees for the African Elites Award 2.0 are Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu (CFR, CON), Founder and Chairman of BUA Group; Mrs. Toyin Ojora-Saraki, healthcare philanthropist and founder of Wellbeing Foundation Africa; Olori Ivie Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom and advocate of girl-child education; and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.

Others include Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the President; Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State; Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State; Governor Alex Otti of Abia State; Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; and Dr. Mahmoud Alfa, Political Economy Adviser at the World Bank.

International media voice Eleni Giokos of CNN, along with several African and global thought leaders, will also be honoured.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, is billed as the Special Guest of Honour, while other dignitaries expected include Dr. Daniel Mukoko Samba, Congo’s Minister of Economy; Chris Oshiafi, Group CEO of PanAfrican Capital Holdings; and leaders from finance, diplomacy and industry.

Dr. Kayode said the summit aligns with the broader mission of Holy Kings Impacts Foundation, which focuses on youth empowerment, poverty reduction, promotion of African values and support for widows and grassroots entrepreneurs.

“Our vision is to help change the negative narratives about Africa by celebrating excellence, integrity and leadership that positively impact ordinary people,” he said.

He added that the African Elites Award and Impact Summit would be held annually as part of the foundation’s long-term strategy to promote ethical leadership, economic empowerment and sustainable development across the continent.

The organisers called on stakeholders, parents, policymakers and civil society groups to participate actively in the event, describing it as a collective effort to secure a morally grounded and prosperous future for Africa.