This year’s lectures, to be delivered by Mr Pedro Verona Rodrigues Pires, Former President of the Republic of Cape Verde, will focus on topics including “A Vision of the Struggle for Liberation from Colonialism, A Vision of the Construction of Sovereign States, and African Challenges”.The three-day lectures, begins today Monday, April 23, and will be climaxed on Wednesday with a special congregation where UDS will confer an honourary Doctorate Degree on the Former President.

The Africa Leadership Lectures is an annual event introduced by the UDS in 2013 with the purpose of facilitating and creating an environment for a discourse on leadership as well as providing a platform to inspire positive and innovative leadership.

Mr Rodrigues Pires, who addressed a press conference at UDS in Tamale on Sunday to kick-start the lectures, said the struggle for independence was worth it, despite the current state of affairs in most countries.

He urged the new generation of Africans to study the colonialism era and the struggle against colonialism such that they would appreciate the freedom enjoyed by African countries.

He also spoke against nepotism and clientelism in governance in Africa calling on governments on the continent to work for the interest of the masses.

Professor Gabriel Teye, Vice-Chancellor of UDS, said the University was working to establish a Leadership Centre to help influence governance in the country and the continent at large.