Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, an alumnus of Addis Ababa University, delivered a crucial guest lecture titled "The Role of Intellectuals in National Prosperity" during the university's 75th-anniversary celebration. He emphasized a powerful call to Ethiopian scholars, urging them to demonstrate stronger intellectual leadership. This leadership is deemed vital for forging a shared national narrative, which is essential for Ethiopia to break free from poverty and achieve sustainable prosperity.

The Prime Minister's paper, presented to esteemed academic leaders and senior government officials, underscored the decisive role scholars play in the country's development. He stressed that intellectuals must clearly recognize and embrace the leadership responsibilities entrusted to them across their respective disciplines. According to Abiy Ahmed, meaningful national progress is contingent upon scholars uniting society around a common vision for Ethiopia's future.

Furthermore, PM Abiy highlighted the significant role scholars have in lifting Ethiopia out of the cycle of poverty and transitioning it towards complete prosperity. He asserted that effective leadership begins with the self, stating, "to provide effective leadership, one must first conquer oneself." Scholars, therefore, must identify and heed their inner voice to achieve personal and national victories. He reiterated that their responsibility, knowledge, and influence are critical tools for providing this effective leadership.

Defining leadership as mastering time and the era, the Prime Minister insisted that every moment must be utilized for its intended purpose. He provided a unique definition of a scholar as someone who participates in the race against time without being preceded or delayed, implying that scholars must profoundly understand their era and possess the foresight to see beyond current challenges. Abiy Ahmed concluded by stating that ideas are the fundamental force for change, and scholars are the primary agents of this change. He stressed that they must fulfill their intellectual representation across politics, the economy, and human interactions, ultimately ensuring that their ideas create institutions, as "idea creates movement, and movement creates a system."