ADETOLA-KAZEEM AHMED

Port Harcourt To deter #BokoHaram and other jihadist groups in Nigeria—and to stop their massacres of Christians and threats against moderate Muslims— I advise the #Trump administration to establish an emergency base in #PortHarcourt, the main port city of the #Biafra region. Such a move would enable the rapid deployment of international humanitarian aid, particularly assistance from American churches. President @realDonaldTrump has issued two strong statements condemning the jihadist attacks on Nigerian Christian communities and has directed the Secretary of War to prepare contingency plans for the “protection of communities” in Nigeria, should the federal government fail to stop the jihadists—as has been the case for years in northern and central Nigeria. In the meantime, targeted strikes against jihadist forces could also be considered. @POTUS @VP @SecRubio @SecWar @SpeakerJohnson @ODNIgov @CIADirector @USAfricaCommand @envoy

Today, The University of Edinburgh @EdinburghUni awarded me the 2025 Being Edinburgh Alumni Award for being an exceptional alumni who has made a transformative impact in my field and community. As I received the award today at the summer graduation. I shared a few words with the graduands and the audience present. It took me back to when I visited Makoko slum last year (the place I was born and raised). It became small to me and I was thinking why did that happen. It used to be big when I was young and I thought what shifted was not it being small. It was that my horizon had expanded. I had seen the world far away from the slum and I could also see the slum closely and even the problems more closely. And it just clicked to me that every child deserves an opportunity to explore the world, an opportunity to get the best education, like I have gotten today and be able to harness their full potential. They deserve a scholarship like the Mastercard Foundation and be able to dream. So for me, this is more than an award, it was a commitment to the life I promised to pursue after graduation in 2021. It was a commitment written in words and vows being fulfilled. I could recall that after graduation in 2021, I made a promise to use the privilege for the good of others, and that same year I raised £1500 in 72 hours for a young man who needed flight fees and other travel logistics to start their bachelor's degree in India. I did that for a couple of other young people after that one. I scaled our Skill2Rural Bootcamp and career readiness workshops from 3 states to 14 states in Nigeria and even refugees in Malawi used our resources. I went ahead to build an Edtech platform to democratize access to life and 21st-century skills and built Rafiki AI, Africa’s first generative AI career advisor for underserved young people. Published two books afterward and many other things that I have chosen not to share because they were deeds between myself and God. I never stopped burning and never stopped sharing even when my work and worth were questioned by the UK immigration system, I showed up. And to be recognised in this way is a testament to those statements. That even when you were born in a place like Makoko and the odds were already against you. You can dream. It is a testament to those like me who have lost one or two of their parents, that they can find purpose in grief. I have much more to say but words have started to fail me but I hope to continue to burn and I hope others would catch the flame and maybe the ashes and feel inspired to pursue their dreams. I am grateful to friends who showed up for me. Naomi Ekpoki who nominated me and Rania Mouhideen who first nominated me in 2022 but did not even make the finalist. I never asked them to nominate but they saw me burning and believe in the work that I do. And I am so humbled to be seen and recognised in that way. Thank you. Thanks to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme at the University of Edinburgh community, who had given me the wings to fly, my colleagues both in the scholars programme and at KLCI, and everyone who voted and believed in a world where a child circumstances at birth and location should not affect the kind of opportunities they get. And the incredible finalist too. I was in awe reading their work and profile. Thank you. Thank you! As I said in my speech today, it is day one and I am a story that is still unfolding.