Adebola Williams wraps up 4-cities US tour with diaspora-focused conversations in New York

Media entrepreneur, political consultant, and author, Adebola Williams on Sunday, August 6, 2023 ended his whirlwind US 4-cities tour with conversations on issues relating to diaspora Africans in New York. The event, which was anchored by emerging markets business executive, Adeola Bakre, also featured a panel session and the launch of his book titled, African Power Girls.

The New York fireside conversations had in attendance notable members of the diaspora community in America. It follows his inspiring engagement with like-minded personalities in three other major US cities including Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; and Los Angeles, California.

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In his remarks, Adebola said Africans in the diaspora and their Black American counterparts “need to start thinking about your role in building the nations that you are originally from because it is the only place where you are first”.

Earlier during his engagement in Houston, Adebola spoke on the importance of diaspora Africans in the overall development of the continent. “Africa is not complete if it doesn’t include and acknowledge the efforts, contributions, and achievements of those (of you) in the diaspora,” he said. “The future of Africa depends on its people in the diaspora because of the skills, knowledge, education, experiences, and networks that you have been able to garner, and which many people back home may not have access to.

“We should be mindful to be strategic in our philanthropy. Support education on the continent by building schools, paying school fees, donating books, giving scholarships, and much more. This way we’re not giving for the sake of it, but we are making a difference in the way that it truly moves the needle and guarantees change,” he added.

Adebola took his inspirational ‘girl-child empowerment’ message to Atlanta and Los Angeles where he told his audience that young girls do not need the permission of the society to become. 

According to him: “I wrote the African Power Girls book to let young girls across the world to know that – before the world tells them that they can’t dream, they can’t hope, they can’t aspire – that women like them have gone through a lot, and in the process built amazing things and achieved incredible feats. I want them to know that they do not need anyone’s permission to become.

Adebola’s well-attended tour was supported by several notable international brands including Leatherback, a financial technology company facilitating safe, quick, and efficient cross-border payments.

“At Leatherback, we recognize the importance of diaspora Africans in the overall development of the continent, as well as the role that we all must play,” said Toyeeb Ibrahim, CEO of Leatherback, while speaking about the company’s support. “This is in line with our mission to create a global community in which financial transaction restrictions are removed. 

“We currently empower Africans in the diaspora by providing solutions designed to address their cross-border payment needs, allowing them to send and receive money in 15 currencies with ease across 21 countries on the go using our mobile app, without physically visiting a bank,” he concluded.

Adebola Williams’ US tour aims to strengthen the connection between diaspora Africans and their continent. It highlights their critical role in facilitating the accelerated socio-economic development of the continent.