By Amina Abdulkadir
June 4, 2024
Nigeria’s former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has met with Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo to discuss the proposed Agritech Hub in Ghana.
The initiative is part of the Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Fund – the world’s largest initiative to support the African innovation ecosystem.
Making this known via his social media handle in a lighthearted statement on Thursday, Prof. Osinbajo expressed his enthusiasm for the meeting, saying, “It was really great to spend time with my brother and friend, His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana.”
Continuing, he rhetorically said, “On the menu? Not Jollof wars (sorry, everyone). Instead, we served up the proposed Agritech Hub in Ghana, part of the Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Fund—the world’s largest initiative to support the African innovation ecosystem.”
Osinbajo with his sense of humour couldn’t resist a playful jab at the age-old debate over which country makes the best jollof rice.
Lauding his host, Prof. Osinbajo said, “President Akufo-Addo has been a committed champion of the fund since its inauguration, which he attended in Davos this year, and he reiterated his firm commitment and support for the fund’s work.”
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He also informed that, “The Agritech Hub, designed as a Pan-African center of excellence for tech-enabled agriculture, will benefit from Ghana’s Planting for Food and Jobs and E-Agric programs, while also leveraging the country’s status as the headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA).”
Recalled Osinbajo has been appointed as the Guardian of the Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation, tasked with ensuring its objectives are met.
As a leading voice for Africa’s development, notably, during his tenure as Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo had urged Nigerians to project the country’s image in a positive light and push narratives of aspirations, emphasising that “our stories must be of hope.”
This sentiment reflects his unwavering commitment to promoting a progressive narrative about Nigeria, Africa, and its people.
The Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation was recently incorporated in Kigali, Rwanda, marking a historic milestone for the initiative. It aims to be the world’s largest effort to support innovation in Africa, building university innovation pods and thematic hubs across the continent.
