OBJ speaks at LEIC conference, as Kotoye, monarchs and 15 others bag doctoral honours

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeyinka Moyosore Kotoye, two prominent traditional rulers – the Olu of Itori, Oba Fatai Akamo, and the Olu of Siun, Oba Lawrence Adisa Odeyinka – alongside 15 other eminent personalities, are set to be conferred with honorary doctorate degrees at an international conference holding in Abeokuta on Saturday, August 16, 2025.

Other notable awardees drawn from various fields include the Ogun State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Remilekun Ekundayo; United States-based businessman, Musa Sani Anwalu; Surveyor Rántí Lemboye; Hon. Oladipo Akingbade; and a police area commander in the state.

Also on the list are Apostle Wale Fatolu, Chief Oluwakemi Odubote, Apostle Matthew Omooninkan, Felicia Okanlawon, Adekunle Shoneye, Mary Adenekan, Ruth Oladipupo, Rev. Tunji Akintayo, Pastor Balogun Timothy, and Apostle John Ayilara.

The honours – ranging from Doctor of Leadership (D.L) to Doctor of Theology (D.Th) – will be awarded at the Leadership Empowerment International Conference (LEIC) scheduled for August 15–16, 2025.

The event, organised by South Africa-based Immanuel Theology Institute International in partnership with the Priesthood Leadership Development Initiative Inc. (PLDI) in Nigeria, will be held at Continental Suites on IBB Boulevard, Abeokuta.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is the global patron of the organisation, will deliver the keynote address. The conference theme is Leadership and Followership: The Bonding Factor and the Consequences of Insincerity.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday in Abeokuta, PLDI’s International Coordinator, Prof. Olusesi Obateye, said the honours recognise the recipients’ far-reaching contributions and positive impact on society.

On the conference theme, Obateye lamented that the insincerity of leaders across Africa remains a major cause of underdevelopment despite the continent’s abundant natural resources.