President Bola Tinubu says African countries must, as a matter of urgency, pursue peace and unity to achieve collective sustainable growth.
Tinubu argued that the old legacies of nepotism must give way to unity and peace, which are non-negotiably important for Africa’s development.
“We better roll our sleeves, put on our nickers and move for peace, stability and progress,” Tinubu said on Wednesday at a dinner in Malabo, organised in his honour by President Teodoro Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.
The dinner is part of events lined up as Tinubu undertakes a three-day official visit to the Central African country.
Earlier, the Nigerian leader and his host held talks and signed agreements in various areas, including petroleum, security, among others.
At the dinner, Tinubu told his host that Africa must take charge of solving its problems, rejecting external expectations that only birth conflict and instability.
“We have to work together to make peace the focus of our development to 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.
“We better roll our sleeves, put on our nickers and move for peace, stability and progress,” he said.
The President cited the massive brain drain Africa is suffering due to poverty, archaic judicial systems and tribalism, saying leaders must address these root causes to foster development.
He appealed to international organisations to invest more in African research and development.
He said the long-standing conflicts in the Congo and Sahel require collective action if peace is the goal.
“We definitely will continue to promote peace and stability throughout the continent,” Tinubu said.
“Some others of our brothers in shackles, are still there at each other’s throat. We must work together, and do everything possible to promote peace between them.
“What we are seeing in the middle of the region, Congo Republic and other areas of the Sahel is not pleasant for our today and promising for our tomorrow,” he said.
