OXFORD GLOBAL THINK TANK CONFERENCE: GOV. ALEX OTTI DELIVERS POWERFUL KEYNOTE ON LEADERSHIP, HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT AND NATIONAL RENEWAL

…as He Challenges Nigerian Leaders to Embrace Discipline, Education, and courage in Governance

The Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, was the Keynote Speaker at the prestigious Oxford Global Think Tank Leadership Conference on Better Leadership for a Better Nigeria, held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, in Abuja.

The intellectual gathering, organized and hosted by Professor Arunma Oteh, OON, an Abia-born economist, former Treasurer and Vice President of the World Bank, and Founder of the Oxford Global Think Tank also featured the public presentation of her new book titled “All Hands on Deck: Unleash Prosperity through World-Class Capital Markets.”

Governor Otti, who delivered an inspiring and deeply analytical address titled “We Truly Can Do Better,” used the platform to call on Nigerian leaders, policymakers, and thought influencers to embrace discipline, visionary thinking, and the courage to execute ideas as essential drivers of sustainable national progress.

According to him, “Every society thrives or falls on the strength of the ideas developed and propagated by its thought leaders, the individuals whose opinions direct the ebbs and flows of public conversation, morality, and values.”

He emphasized that the real gap between developed and underdeveloped nations lies not in the abundance of mineral resources, but in the quality of human intellect and leadership discipline applied in harnessing them.

The Abia State Governor stressed that education and human capital development remain the foundation of all genuine transformation, warning that without knowledge, even vast mineral wealth can become a curse rather than a blessing.

He declared, “Without education, the largest deposit of precious minerals will only amount to little and could actually trigger undesirable outcomes.”

Governor Otti lauded Professor Arunma Oteh for her global accomplishments and for consistently using her platforms to promote intellectual leadership and economic empowerment. He described her as “one of Nigeria’s brightest exports” and commended her new book for presenting not only incisive economic insights but also “important leadership lessons and a new paradigm for national development.”

He further applauded Prof. Oteh’s 4Cs leadership philosophy: Character, Compassion, Competence, and Courage, describing it as a model Nigeria must adopt to rebuild its national values and leadership recruitment system.

Governor Otti used the opportunity to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to education and healthcare as the twin pillars of Abia’s development vision. He disclosed that for two consecutive years, 20% of Abia State’s annual budget has been allocated to the education sector, with free and compulsory basic education across the state, recruitment of over 5,000 new teachers, and another 4,000 set to be employed soon.

In addition, he highlighted the state’s consistent investment in healthcare, revealing that Abia devotes 15% of its annual expenditure to strengthening medical services, in line with the 2001 Abuja Declaration, with the goal of ensuring that every community has access to a well-equipped healthcare facility within walking distance.

Speaking on Nigeria’s development trajectory, Governor Otti expressed optimism that the nation can still recover its promise through a renewed commitment to values, education, and excellence.

“No destiny is final and no course is irreversible. We can still rediscover the promise of Nigeria and rise collectively to take our place in destiny,” he noted.

He also challenged leaders to create enabling environments that reward innovation, integrity, and merit, while discouraging mediocrity and systemic failure.

The high-profile conference attracted an array of intellectuals, policymakers, captains of industry, and development experts from across the country, who convened to exchange ideas on governance reform, capital market development, and sustainable leadership models for Nigeria’s economic rebirth.

Governor Otti concluded his keynote by urging participants to imbibe the lessons from Prof. Oteh’s book and to remain committed to excellence in their various spheres of influence.

“At 65, we should be able to stand firmly on our feet and march forward in an unyielding resolve to pay whatever price is required to actualize the great destiny that our nation has been called to,” he stated.

He ended with gratitude and a call to collective action: “Thank you for listening, and may God bless all of us.”

NOTE: Part of the content in this news article is adapted from the Keynote Address delivered by Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR, at the Oxford Global Think Tank Leadership Conference on “Better Leadership for a Better Nigeria”, as well as the Public Presentation of the book All Hands on De ck, held on October 28, 2025, in Abuja.