By Ebunoluwa Sessou & Matthew Johnson

Convener of Africa Memorial Day and founder of the Correct Connect Africa Foundation, Fr. Aleakwe Odior, has called on Africans to reclaim their history and cultural consciousness as a pathway to addressing the continent’s persistent leadership and governance challenges.

Speaking at the 2026 Africa Memorial Day celebration in Lagos, themed “Political Leadership and Governance in Africa: What Is the End Product?”, Odior said Africa’s inability to adequately preserve and teach its history has contributed to the continent’s struggles with identity, self-determination and accountable governance.

According to him, making African history count requires restoring pre-colonial narratives to educational curricula, leveraging digital media to engage young people and integrating indigenous heritage into civic identity.

He explained that the annual event was established to ensure Africans remember their past, reflect on present realities and chart a sustainable future for coming generations.

“This is to provide an opportunity for African children to learn about their heritage and for leaders to be assessed according to values established by African civilisations.

Addressing young Africans, Odior challenged them to embrace leadership, competence and community service while rejecting corruption and intellectual complacency.

He traced the origin of Africa Memorial Day to Africans in the diaspora who sought to reconnect the continent with its historical heritage, noting that the initiative was later brought back to Africa by those committed to preserving the continent’s collective memory.

Odior attributed many of Africa’s governance challenges to centuries of conquest, colonial exploitation and the destruction of indigenous institutions, adding that some post-independence leaders merely continued systems of exploitation.

He called for Africa Memorial Day to be recognised across the continent and throughout the African diaspora as an official day of remembrance, reflection, celebration and renewal.

The cleric also appealed to governments, traditional institutions, universities, civil society organisations, media houses and Africans in the diaspora to support efforts aimed at cultural renewal and historical consciousness.

“Africa’s rebirth is possible and necessary, and it depends on you. Study the history you were not taught in school. Build real competence. Learn to lead in the spaces you already occupy. Leadership is not an office; it is a practice,” he said.

Recalling an encounter that inspired the initiative, Odior said: “I had a conversation with a seven-year-old Italian girl who could confidently narrate her country’s history. That encounter made me realise how little many of us know about our own story.

Africa Memorial Day was born out of the need to recover that knowledge and pass it on to future generations.”

He urged Africans to draw lessons from notable leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Amílcar Cabral and Thomas Sankara, whom he described as leaders who placed the interests of their people above personal gain.

“These were not perfect men, but they asked the right question: governance for whom? That remains the only question that truly matters,” he said.

Odior stressed that the Africa Memorial Day project requires sustained support.
“The work of Africa Memorial Day cannot survive on goodwill alone.

Supporting this mission is not charity; it is an investment in the consciousness of a people,” he added.

Lamenting the state of governance across the continent, he said Africa’s immense natural and human resources had yet to translate into prosperity for its citizens.

“The evidence around us does not yet speak of triumph. Across our continent, lands of extraordinary wealth still produce extraordinary poverty. Young men and women with immense talent continue to risk their lives seeking opportunities elsewhere because their countries have failed to create conditions worthy of their ambitions.

“Our gathering is more than a ceremony. It is a reminder that memory is a political act. People who cannot account for their past cannot govern their future.

The silence around our history has cost us dearly in identity, self-determination and in the quality of those we place in power.

“I lament that despite Africa’s abundant natural and human resources, poor governance continues to hinder development across the continent,” Odior said.

Also speaking at the event, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, said many of Africa’s developmental challenges stem from the lingering effects of colonialism and neo-colonialism.

He urged African nations to strengthen democratic institutions, protect civil liberties and pursue people-centred governance.
Falana commended Odior for sustaining the Africa Memorial Day initiative, noting that the global campaign for recognition of the historical injustices of slavery was yielding results.
According to him, the United Nations has adopted resolutions recognising slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as crimes against humanity.

“It is time for Africans to wake up from the direct and indirect forms of colonialism,” Falana said.

He praised Odior for consistently creating a platform for meaningful discussions on Africa’s challenges and solutions.
“Father Anthony Odior deserves commendation for bringing us together every year to discuss African problems and solutions,” he said.

The event attracted traditional rulers, government officials, academics, students, civil society groups, artists and members of the African diaspora.