By Williams Anuku President Bola Tinubu has implored African leaders to make more strategic and deliberate efforts in addressing the...
By Williams Anuku
President Bola Tinubu has implored African leaders to make
more strategic and deliberate efforts in addressing the exodus of skills and
talents from Africa.
Speaking at a dinner held in his honour at the People’s
Palace in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on Wednesday night, President Tinubu said
research and development must be encouraged with the provision of appropriate
rewards.
The president said: “Why are we complaining about healthcare
problems if our doctors cannot have a home in our continent? If our nurses are
faced with destitution, and if our judicial system is archaic?”
President Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit, said
development in Africa will begin when the continent starts to look inwards for
solutions.
“Tribalism has no place in our nation or region. We have to
strengthen the continent. Cultivate and maintain peace together and help one
another.
“We have to develop our resources for our progress. Find
solutions among ourselves and focus incisively on research and development, and
reward those research and development programmes. We must bring out the results
ourselves. We must not outsource them or sell them out.
“To the international organizations, we are partners. We
will continue to be partners, but we must implement more than half of the
results of the research established here. We have many youths to take care of.
Millions yearning for progress,’’ the President said.
President Tinubu thanked President Teodoro Obiang Nguema
Mbasogo for the invitation to visit Malabo.
“It is a joy coming down here from Abuja, and for me, it is
a homecoming. We are one single family on the continent. We are like twins held
together at the hips. We have nowhere to go, but to cling to each other.
“Our gathering here is a significant milestone in the
history of Africa, particularly for West and Central Africa; between the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. I am happy
to hear very deep thoughts coming from my brother, the President of Equatorial
Guinea, concerning Africa.
“Africa must solve its own problems. For the world, Africa
is wretched and ragged, full of conflicts. We say no. Peace, stability, and
democracy are the way forward for our collective and progressive development.
We have agreed on that with President Mbasogo.
“We definitely will continue to promote peace and stability
throughout the continent. Some of our other brothers in shackles are still
there, at each other’s throats. We will both work together and do whatever is
possible to promote peace.
“What we are seeing in certain parts of the continent and
areas of the Sahel is not pleasant for our today and not promising for our
tomorrow. We have to work together to make peace the focus of our development.
“Without peace, we cannot have development. Our problem is
not that we do not understand what to do. We identify them, and we understand
what to do. Our problem is how and when we should do them. I say the time is
now. We had better roll up our sleeves, put on our knickers, and move strongly for
the peace and stability of our continent,” the President stated.
In his remarks earlier, the President of Equatorial Guinea
thanked President Tinubu for honouring his invitation.
“It is with utmost affection and respect that I would like
to greet President Tinubu and wish him and his delegation a warm welcome to
Equatorial Guinea.
“We wish to express our gratitude for your acceptance of our
invitation. We feel honoured to host this meeting that brings us together in
Malabo,’’ President Mbasogo said.
The leader of Equatorial Guinea called for more
collaboration and solidarity between both countries, stating that “Nigeria has
always held a special place in our foreign policy.”
President Mbasogo said the momentum and dynamism in the
bilateral relations should be strengthened while highlighting previous mutual
agreements in the areas of education, mining, defence, security, and
agriculture.
“We recognize Nigeria’s potential and experience as the
largest economy in Africa since 2015, and we consider it as one of the great
global emerging markets.
“Mr. President, this visit is an opportunity to further
strengthen our historical relationship to be much greater,’’ the Equatorial
Guinean President said.
President Mbasogo said deeper partnership is needed between
both countries to fight piracy and insecurity while working with other
countries of the African Union and the United Nations in tackling climate
change, food shortages, and terrorism.
Before the dinner, President Tinubu and President Mbasogo
signed an agreement on the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline Project.
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