The 2015 Tutu Fellows celebrated the completion of the five-month leadership programme and the award of Tutu Fellowship certificates at a high-spirited party hosted by Trustee Lord Hacking at his home in London on 11th September.  The event embodied the welcome of the newest alumni into the family of Tutu Fellows, which now number 225 emerging leaders across 34 African countries.

The Fellows' glowing perspectives on the programme included; “A life-changing and stimulating experience”; “a mind-blowing transformational experience”; “one of the most transformative experiences of my life”; and “being part of this experience, has increased my drive to make Africa a better place for all of Her children, but more so, to sacrifice self before our people.”

There were so many highlights during the final workshop in Oxford and London.  These included outstanding invited speakers; world renowned experts on leadership; conducting a choir; leadership through Henry V; and an amazing variety of leadership learning experiences.  However, I will single out two moments. Firstly after a vibrant talk by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Ex-Nigerian Finance Minister), her Tutu Fellow son, Uzo, thanked her for her talk and for being such a “cool mom”.

Another was the celebration of the 10th anniversary of AFLI’s partnership with the Cookery School , which each year produces a fascinating leadership learning experience as the Fellows connive to cook a myriad of African dishes for lunch (below), and celebrate their culinary achievements.

The 2015 class now join an exclusive network of Africa’s finest young leaders, who individually and collectively are striving to transform Africa.  The picture below is just one of all of the group receiving their Fellows' certificates; it is of Bowale Odumade.

By Peter Wilson, African Leadership Institute co-founder.