An Address by Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, OFR, CON, at the Abuja LSE Talks
British High Commissioner’s Residence, Maitama, Abuja.
To Serve with Knowledge, Integrity and Humility
1. Introduction
1.1 If your alma mater has recorded the following achievements:
● it is 126 years old and was founded by five members of the Fabian Society,
including George Bernard Shaw
● has over 155,000 Alumni that are change makers, influencers and leaders
that are making profound impact on their societies
● has Alumni from virtually all regions of the globe who are active in virtually
all sectors of the economy and society.
● has Alumni that include 55 past and current Heads of State (including J. F.
Kennedy) and 18 Nobel Prize winners
● is, out of all European universities, the one that has produced most
billionaires, including George Soros
● has produced several Central Bank Governors, including Janet Yellen,
Stanley Fischer, Mervin King and Paul Volker
● as once reported by the U.K Guardian, is a school whose political clout is
“closely wired into parliament, Whitehall and the Bank of England”
● that, coming closer home, is one that has produced:
○ 2 Kenyan Presidents, including Jomo Kenyatta
○ 3 Ghanian Presidents, including Kwame Nkurumah
○ Notable Nigerians, including statesmen and public figures like
Obafemi Awolowo, Augustus Akinloye, Ibrahim Gambari and our current Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Bankers like Subomi Balogun,
Pascal Dozie, Atedo Peterside, Aig Imoukhuede, Bolaji Balogun and Ubadigbo Okonkwo, and other notable alumni, such as Bayo Kuku, Tunde Folawiyo, Salamatu Sulaiman, Kingsley Moghalu, Garba Donli, etc.