President Bola Tinubu has called on African leaders to prioritise peace, unity and democracy to ensure Africa’s progress and development.
This is contained in a statement issued by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu’s spokesperson.
Tinubu made the call while speaking at a dinner organised in his honour on Wednesday in Malabo by President Teodoro Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.
The president stressed that Africa must reject external influence in solving its own problems, conflict and instability.
Before the dinner, President Tinubu and his host held talks and signed agreements in various areas, including petroleum and security.
He highlighted the brain drain and talent loss Africa faced due to poverty, archaic judicial systems, and tribalism, emphasising that these issues must be addressed to foster development.
Tinubu also appealed to international organisations to invest more in African research and development.
“We have to work together to make peace the focus of our development in order to really develop. Without peace you cannot develop.
“Our problem is not that we don’t know what to do, we identify them, we understand what to do; our problem is how and when we should do them and I say the time is now.
“Why are we complaining about healthcare problem if our doctors cannot have a home in their continent, if our nurses are faced with destitution, if our judicial system is archaic, if tribe is the hero in the middle of nothing?” asked Tinubu.
He said tribalism had no place in Africa, and that Africans must develop their own resources, find solutions among themselves and dwell on research and development.
“To the international organisations, we say thank you. We are partners, we’ll continue to partner, but put more than half of the results of research and development here on the continent.
“We have a lot of youths to cater for, millions of them yearning for progress,” he said.
The President also highlighted the need for collective action to address conflicts in regions such as the Congo Republic and the Sahel.
“Our gathering here today is a significant milestone in the history of Africa and particularly West Africa, between Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
“I am very happy to have listened to the very deep thinking coming from my brother, the President of Equatorial Guinea on Africa.
“Yes, it is Africa that must solve its own problems. They want Africa wretched and raggedy, full of conflicts, antagonism of one another, but we’re saying no.
“Peace, stability and democracy are the way forward for a progressive development and we agreed on that,” said President Tinubu.
In his remarks earlier, Mbasogo expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for accepting his invitation to visit Equatorial Guinea, hailing the strong relations between the two nations.
Mbasogo also emphasised the need for African solidarity, calling for stronger regional and international cooperation to address maritime crime, security threats and economic diversification.
He stressed the importance of strengthening constitutional institutions, fighting against injustices, and advocating greater African representation on the global stage, particularly on the UN Security Council.