Nigerian youth leader recognised for outstanding leadership, youth development, and regional integration efforts in West Africa.
A Nigerian youth leader, Akande Olugbenga, has been honoured with two prestigious awards at the 6th Model Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Summit held in Accra, Ghana, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to youth development, regional integration, and public service across West Africa.
The awards were presented during a cocktail reception organised for participants of the summit on Saturday.
The first recognition, a Certificate of Appreciation, was awarded for his exceptional leadership and dedicated service as Chairperson of the Specialized Technical Commission (STC) during the summit. The award also acknowledged his commitment to advancing youth leadership, diplomacy, and regional dialogue within the ECOWAS sub-region.
He was also presented with a Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his sustained contributions to youth empowerment, regional prosperity, leadership excellence, and the promotion of cooperation among young people across West Africa.
Speaking after receiving the awards, Olugbenga described the honours as both humbling and motivating, noting that they would inspire him to continue serving society and creating opportunities for young people across Africa.
According to him, leadership is not defined by titles or public recognition but by service, impact, and the ability to empower others to achieve their full potential.
During the summit, he chaired deliberations on critical regional issues, including democratic governance, electoral integrity, the rule of law, regional security cooperation, counterterrorism, cybercrime prevention, and institutional strengthening in West Africa.
He expressed satisfaction that the recommendations developed by the commissions were adopted into the summit’s final communiqué.
Olugbenga extended his appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, the summit secretariat, knowledge partners, sponsors, and other stakeholders for their invaluable support in ensuring the success of the event.
He also acknowledged the support of the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, and the Sierra Leone High Commissioner to Ghana, Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba, for their commitment to youth engagement, leadership development, and regional progress.
Special appreciation was equally extended to David Osabutey, President of the 6th Model ECOWAS Summit, for his confidence in Olugbenga’s leadership abilities and unwavering support throughout the programme.
He further commended Bernice Alorgbe for her dedication to promoting peace, unity, youth empowerment, and regional cooperation across West Africa.
Reaffirming his commitment to advancing youth leadership, diplomacy, peacebuilding, good governance, and regional integration across Africa, Olugbenga stated that the awards represent not the culmination of his efforts but a renewed call to greater service.
“These awards are not the end of the journey; rather, they serve as a reminder that much work remains to be done in building a peaceful, prosperous, and united Africa where young people are empowered to contribute meaningfully to sustainable development and regional progress,” he said.
