Foursquare G.O., Sam Aboyeji, Fela Durotoye, Cecila Ibru, and Bola Obasanjo to Attend 2025 WYBF Memorial Lecture
The 2025 Wilson and Yinka Badejo Memorial Lecture is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, at the main hall of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme, LEADERSHIP REIMAGINED: “Framework for Empowering the Next Generation of Nation Builders.”
This year’s lecture represents the 18th edition of the event and the Keynote Speaker for the 2025 lecture is Mr. Fela Durotoye, a renowned and acknowledged values champion, leadership expert, executive coach, global speaker, and the President of Gemstone Nation Builders Foundation. The Chancellor of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru will be the Special Guest of Honour, with the General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church, Rev. Sam Aboyeji and the wife of a former President of Nigeria, Chief (Mrs.) Bola Obasanjo will be the Father and Mother of the day, respectively. 
If possible for the dead to know what becomes of their legacy after passing on, some would rejoice and beam with smiles, thanking God for the privilege, opportunity, grace, and power He bestowed on them to serve humanity, society and His Kingdom to the glory of His name.
This is the case with the upcoming Wilson and Yinka Badejo Memorial Lecture and the 4th successive lecture after the transition to glory of the co-founders and visioners, the late General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Rev (Dr) Wilson Adebogun Badejo and his beloved wife, Rev (Mrs.) Yinka Anike Badejo on the 7th August, 2021 and 13 November, 2021 respectively.
WYBF was established in 2007 by the late founders, Rev. Dr. Wilson Adebogun, and his wife, Rev. (Mrs.) Yinka Anike BADEJO, with the vision to put smiles on people’s faces, especially the oppressed masses, the less privileged, and those who, for reasons other than their faults, have been displaced from the country’s economic equilibrium.
WYBF believes that every member of our society deserves a chance to live a good and productive life, a world where hope and inspiration abound for poor and underprivileged members of society to live a healthy, economically integrated, and productive life. As a result of its commitment, the foundation has been able to rehabilitate and empower over 2000 at-risk youths (area boys/girls) in the Nigerian society, apart from providing over 600 Scholarship Awards to needy students from different parts of the country to date, and has single-handedly completed several verifiable community development projects.
Since its inception, WYBF has achieved significant milestones in enriching the quality of life for the less privileged by establishing and supporting initiatives, programmes, and services that create more opportunities for their inclusion and integration into the nation’s economic system.
Also, the annual lecture programme has been a platform for respected scholars, academicians, diplomats, boardroom players, and other professionals to discuss and chart a new course for Nigeria’s future.
Since the passing away of the founders in 2021, the foundation’s Board of Trustees has resolved to immortalize and continue the vision and legacies of the founder’s objectives from the 15th edition of the annual lecture held in 2022, with the theme, “Overcoming the Twin Challenge of Poverty and Insecurity in Nigeria – Way Forward,” delivered by, Prof. Eghosa E. Osaghae, the DG, NIIA; the 16th edition in 2023, with the theme, “Negotiating A Fairer Nigeria” delivered by Dr. Osaren Emokpae, former BoT Chairman, WYBF and Chairman, Havilah Open-Door Group; and the 17th edition in 2024, with the theme, “Cultivating the Culture of Dialogue: “Nurturing Understanding in a Culturally and Socially Diverse Nation” by Dr. Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer, Citadel Global Community Church.
As part of activities during the upcoming 2025 memorial lecture and in continuation of building on the legacies of the founders, the foundation will be providing opportunities for the educational advancement of brilliant, disadvantaged students through the award of scholarships and support arrangements. The foundation will also be using this forum to recognise a longtime advocate and supporter of the foundation’s work with the Stewardship Excellence Award.
WYBF remains committed to sustaining selfless service to our society. Its activities are designed to ensure that the poor and underprivileged, often marginalised, members of society remain the central focus of its mission. It strives to provide them with uninhibited support through the foundation’s core values of Servant Leadership, Integrity and Accountability, Excellence and Professionalism, and Continuous Advancement.
Interested participants to the lecture in-person or online, should contact www.wybf.org/annual lectures
