The Young Shall Grow - Reflections from the 2023 Ditchley Conference on Africa

I had to pinch myself. My mind told me I had just arrived in a scene from one of my Georgette Heyer novels. The Lady of the house, dressed in a dazzling gown, would sashay in to greet me any minute now. Had I somehow managed to breach the time-space continuum? Perhaps this was my Isaac-Newton-apple-drop moment, and I would return to the present day to share my discoveries?

Alas, that was not the case. It was still very much October 2023, and I had just gotten off a train 15 minutes ago in the Oxfordshire countryside. 

The place? Ditchley Park - a magnificent embodiment of 300 years of architecture, culture and history on an estate that dates back to the 16th Century.

The gathering? Two days of plenary and roundtable discussions as part of the annual Ditchley Conference series hosted by the Ditchley Foundation.

The topic? African entrepreneurs and their place in driving economic development on the continent.

The people? 20+ experts from the private sector, development agencies, academia, consulting and the civil sector.

Ditchely Conference 2023

This gathering was not novel. Ditchley Conferences focused on Africa date back to the 1960s - when newly-birthed nation-states were adjusting to the responsibilities of building functioning and productive societies. While much has changed globally over the last six decades, many questions remain about how to best unlock the promise the continent holds. The conversations over the two days were very anchored in the current realities - the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the expanding African technology ecosystem, the impact of climate change, the rapid pace of global technological advancement, the “demographic dividend” - all very pertinent to dictating the regional trajectory in the coming years.

As one of the 2023/24 scholars, I was nominated by the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust to join this edition of the Conference based on my social impact background supporting innovation organisations and my experience in the corporate philanthropy space. In one introductory conversation, a participant mentioned how great a job the Foundation’s leadership has done in incorporating young voices into their discourses over recent years. I was one of these youths! What a joy and honour to be such a voice, speaking for, from, and of the continent.  

Tamilore at Matriculation

Along with this elation has come a realisation that in these forums, I not only glean new insights from other participants and share my own learnings. I also discover new things about myself and come away with a sharper picture of my role in these issues. This convening is particularly timely as I begin my journey at the Blavatnik School of Government on the Master of Public Policy programme, generously supported by the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust. Making new connections and interacting with new concepts and contexts reinforces my purpose as an agent of transformation.

Let me close out these reflections with the saying “The Young Shall Grow” - the name of a popular transporter in my home country, Nigeria. The young will grow, and we will grow Africa.