Repay Your Moral Debt To Nature, Akano Urges Govt, Individuals
Tim Akano Urges Society to Repay Its Moral Debt to Nature, Family and Humanity
LAGOS — Public intellectual and geopolitical risks analyst, Tim Akano, has called on individuals, governments and corporations to embrace a deeper sense of responsibility by acknowledging what he describes as the “unseen debts” owed to nature, family, society and future generations.
In an essay titled “The Ledger We Never Signed,” Akano argues that no individual is truly self-made, insisting that every human being benefits from the sacrifices, support and resources provided by others. According to him, life is not a series of transactions but a permanent partnership with nature and humanity, making gratitude and responsible stewardship essential obligations.
He warned that humanity has continued to exploit the earth’s natural resources as though they were limitless, stressing that environmental crises such as floods, wildfires and climate change are the inevitable consequences of failing to repay that debt through sustainable practices.
The technology entrepreneur and founder of the Almajiri-to-Tech Foundation also reflected on the historical foundations of nations, using the United States as an example. He argued that immigration has been a major pillar of America’s economic and technological success, citing innovators such as Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang and Elon Musk as immigrants who helped shape the country’s global leadership in technology.
Akano cautioned that policies which discourage immigration could undermine the very strengths that enabled such nations to flourish, describing migrants as indispensable contributors to national growth rather than threats.
He further questioned humanity’s growing ambition to colonise space while environmental degradation on Earth continues unabated. According to him, investments in space exploration should not come at the expense of protecting the planet, warning that unchecked capitalism without environmental accountability amounts to “deferred bankruptcy” for civilisation.
Beyond governments and corporations, Akano emphasised that the greatest debts are often personal. He urged people to show appreciation to parents, friends, teachers and communities whose support shaped their lives, arguing that gratitude should be expressed while people are still alive rather than after they are gone.
He concluded by encouraging individuals to “pay forward” the kindness they have received, noting that while people do not choose to be born into debt, they choose every day whether to honour or neglect those obligations.
Akano is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of New Horizons Africa Group and also leads the Tim Akano Foundation, One Africa Initiatives Academy and the Almajiri-to-Tech Foundation.
