Former World Bank Vice President & Former Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili has stated that Africa has the potential to actualize economic development at a faster pace than it took China, with disruptive technology. She made this revelation while delivering the keynote address at the maiden edition of the Change and Development Forum organized by the Dare Adeboye Foundation.
The Change and Development Forum was organized by the Dare Adeboye Foundation to promote productive dialogue as well as partnerships among stakeholders within the social impact sector. The goal of the event was to drive policy and strategic discussions aimed at social development with the focus on young Nigerians.
The event was held on the 4th May 2022 at the Redemption Camp to mark the first year memorial of the passing of Pastor Dare Adeboye.
While delivering her keynote address, Dr Ezekwesili eulogized the late Pastor Dare Adeboye and praised him as a silent and unsung driver, promoter and pillar of sustainable development and nation building. She also shared their mutual fondness for young people and Nigeria and urged the leadership of the Foundation to sustain and institutionalize the late Pastor Dare’s passion. .
Speaking on Africa’s opportunities to fast track sustainable development, she stated that,

“it is Africa’s moment, if Africa gets it, it would take Africa shorter time-span than it took China to happen”. She further stated that, “…the Africa which missed the Agricultural Revolution, the bus of the Industrial Revolution and a bit of the Knowledge Revolution but caught on with the ICT revolution with about a billion Africans having access to mobile phones, this is a structural revolution that can jump-start a continent”.

She described the penetration of mobile phones and digital devices in Africa as Africa’s first revolution with the mobile phone as a powerful asset for the average African.
The event was well attended by notable personalities including the wife of the governor of Ogun State, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, the Chairman of His Love Foundation & Special Assistant to the General Overseer of RCCG on CSR, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade; Mrs Tomi Somefun, MD/CEO of Unity Bank, Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim, MD/CEO of Premium Trust Bank and his wife, Mrs Priscilla Emefienim; members of the Adeboye family including Pastor ‘Deolu and his wife, Mrs. Tope Adeboye , the wife of the late Pastor Dare Adeboye, Mrs Temi Adeboye, and Pastor Leke Adeboye and his wife, Mrs. Titi Adeboye. The event also had the leadership of the Young Adults and Youth Affairs of RCCG in attendance.
While speaking at the event, the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun called for concerted efforts to drive sustainable development, in order to support and complement the government to drive development agenda. also
A major highlight of the event was the panel discussion where key industry leaders harped on the need to leverage collaboration and knowledge sharing to drive more impact towards the actualization of sustainable development. The panelists included Mervin Azeta, Lanre Oyegbola, Mojola Ola, Odunayo Sanya, and Pastor Idowu Iluyomade.
The Dare Adeboye Foundation was launched on June 9th 2021, to sustain and entrench the legacies of Pastor Dare Adeboye, a senior Youth Pastor in RCCG and the son of the General Overseer of the Mission. The foundation has four key programs which focus on: youth empowerment, Kingdom Expansion, Leadership & Governance; and Education.
The Foundation also unveiled its five-year plan at the event. In the next five years, the Foundation intends to equip and empower 1000 young leaders in public, private and social sectors, support 100 youth-led businesses, transform 100 communities/organizations/groups, support 500 individuals/families for educational advancement and also empower 5,000 African youths with various digital skills.