Tuesday, June 30th, 2026 turned out a great day for Pan-Africanism as students of Bingham University, Karu near Abuja dazzled their audience in an African Union (AU) Mock-Summit. The Mock-Summit which featured 12 student – presidents dramatised the roles of African Heads of state and continental leaders from Nigeria, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger Republic, Zimbabwe, Kenya, the Kingdom of Lesotho, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda and the Director-General of the World Trade Organization.
Acting the King of Morocco
Students who played the Nigerian president, Burkina Faso military leader and King of Morocco seemed to excite the audience in their carriage, outfit and mannerisms, which is the point about the Mock-Summit in terms of making it a truly truthful lie.
The delegates delivered presidential speeches, participated in plenary debates and adopted resolutions in accordance with African Union protocols, examining the prospects and challenges of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Their discussions focused on regional integration, industrialisation, infrastructure, trade barriers and the balance between national sovereignty and continental cooperation.
Playing the Burkinabe leader
Last Tuesday’s outing was the second edition of the Mock-Summit. It brought together diplomats, media executives, scholars, policymakers, development practitioners, students and guests for what a speaker called a day of intellectual engagement, diplomatic simulation and the celebration of the enduring legacy of the late Pan-African scholar, Professor Okello Oculi.
The highlight of the event was the posthumous Honour conferred on the late Professor Okello Oculi, the originator of the Mock African Union Summit model in Nigerian universities as an approach to leadership grooming. That is, young students who would develop a Pan-African world outlook rather than descend to local ethnic and religious champions.
Playing Tinubu of Nigeria
It grew in popularity in the 1980s when Prof Oculi taught Political Science at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, particularly with NTA, Kaduna initially and later NTA Headquarters transmitting the performance live. Now, according to Bingham University officials, it has become one of the university’s “flagship experiential learning initiatives” involving simulating the procedures, negotiations and decision-making processes of the African Union (AU), exposing students to the practical realities of diplomacy, regional governance and multilateral engagement.
Welcoming participants, the Director of the Ambassador Bulus Lolo Centre, Dr. John Olushola Magbadelo, described the Mock African Union Summit as “an academic laboratory for diplomacy”, stressing that the exercise goes beyond classroom learning by equipping students with practical skills in negotiation, policy drafting, public speaking, evidence-based advocacy and diplomatic protocol.
He noted that the simulation develops students’ capacity to negotiate national interests within regional frameworks while preparing them for future careers in diplomacy, public policy and international affairs. At this event, students debate Africa’s Economic Future. This year’s summit was held under the theme: “Intra-African Trade: An Unrealistic Expectation?”
Amb Bulus Lolo handing over the plaque to Dame Ogazuma
Mallam Muhammed Ali, NTA’s Deputy Director (News) who stood in for the station’s Executive Director of News was full of commendation for Bingham University for exposing students to practical diplomacy through the simulation of African Union summit procedures. He was sure the exposure would significantly improve the students’ public speaking abilities, deepen their understanding of regional governance and prepare them for future diplomatic engagements and related professional careers.
Similarly, the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa who spoke through an official, Mrs. Olabisi Onoja gave the Ambassador Bulus Lolo Centre and the Department of Political Science of the university a top score for organising an initiative that equips students with practical knowledge in diplomacy, negotiation and policy-making. The Chairperson equally rated the summit’s theme timely and relevant, maintaining that intra-African trade is not an unrealistic expectation but a strategic necessity for Africa’s economic transformation. African Continental Free Trade Area offers unprecedented opportunities for job creation, industrial growth and reduced dependence on external markets, provided African countries strengthen collaboration, trust and policy coordination, the NIDCOM boss contended, before adding “You are the future diplomats, leaders and policy drivers of Africa. Think boldly, engage meaningfully and develop solutions that will shape Africa’s future.”
Presiding officials!
The Prof Oculi moment at the event was when the Plaque of Honour went to Dame Debrah Ogazuma, widow of the late Professor in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Pan-African scholarship, diplomacy education and youth development.
Interestingly, members of the Prof Oculi’s biological, academic, social and political families were witnesses to the moment. They include Dr. Emman Usman Shehu, Mr. John Ogazuma, Dr. Eddie Bako, Mr. Simbabi Baikie, Mr. Ado Baikie, Mr. Tunde Jacobs, Mrs. Iyanuoluwa Jacobs, Mr. Sembene Yusuf Oculi, and Madam Debrah Ogazuma, the widow of the late Professor Oculi. .
Speaking on behalf of the family, Dr. Emman Usman Shehu commended the students for their impressive diplomatic performances, noting that they had justified and glorified Prof Oculi’s vision of preparing young Africans for leadership through experiential learning.
Dr. Magbadelo, Director Lolo Centre, speaking at the event
“The vision of Professor Okello Oculi has been justified and glorified by the collective performance of these students,” he remarked, adding that “the spirit of Professor Okello Oculi in this hall is pleased with what these students have demonstrated.”
Sembene Yusuf Oculi, the son of the late Prof, expressed gratitude to the Bingham University on behalf of the family for honouring and acknowledging the legacies of his father.
Earlier on, a lengthy but impressive biographical tribute was delivered by Professor I. S. Zabadi of Bingham University for whom Prof Oculi is the visionary’s visionary when it comes to Pan-African scholarship. Prof Oculi’s intellectual legacy, said Zabadi, continues to inspire diplomatic education and youth leadership across the country.
