Graduating executive MBA students of Oxford University's Saïd Business School received wise counsel from African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi Adesina on Friday.
Adesina urged to draw lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure future global pandemic preparedness and that no one is left behind in terms of access to affordable healthcare. "Their dream," the African Development Bank president said,"is to be like all of you today as you graduate with a world class education. But they cannot achieve their dreams, and neither can our world achieve our collective dream of a more just and equitable world unless we prioritise financing for developing countries to accelerate development."
Adesina told the new MBA graduates to be selfless and dedicated to justice, equity, and fairness. While encouraging them to promote transparency, inclusion, honesty, and integrity, he emphasised the determination they would need not to be sucked into what he called the"slimy allure of insatiable corporate greed that has wreaked havoc on the lives of millions through creative accounting, misrepresentation of the valuation of companies," and other unethical behaviour.
"Nothing works better than collective success," Adesina said."Never work alone... Ahead of you is a stretch of life. Live it fully. Live it supporting others. Live it doing the best you can to improve the lives and livelihoods of people around the world. Use the Baobab approach."