If speech making is anything to go by, President Bola Tinubu’s maiden speech at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York is worth praising. The speech highlighted five important points: Economic growth, climate change, democratic governance, violent extremism and Africa’s mineral resources.
In highlighting these issues, Tinubu did not just speak for Nigeria, he also spoke for Africa. He hit the nail on the head when he spoke about leadership failure and foreign exploitation of the continent. As he put it, “Many proclamations have been made, yet our troubles remain close at hand. Failures in good governance have hindered Africa. But broken promises, unfair treatment and outright exploitation from abroad have also exacted a heavy toll on our ability to progress.”
These manifest more on the economic flank. The President recalled that he removed fuel subsidy and discarded the problematic exchange rate system in his first 100 days in office to foster economic growth and investor confidence in Nigeria. He welcomed partnerships “with those who do not mind seeing Nigeria and Africa assume larger roles in the global community.”
He also called for an end to the poverty of nations and the pillage of one nation’s resources by the overreach of firms and people of stronger nations. According to him, Africa seeks to be neither appendage nor patron, nor wish to replace old shackles with new ones. Instead, Africa and its people, he said, hoped to walk the rich African soil and live under the magnificent African sky free of the wrongs of the past and clear of their associated encumbrances.
To achieve the envisaged economic growth, African leaders need to promote Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which happen to be the backbone of any economy. Africa has resources. All the leaders need to do is to show good example in leadership by exploiting those resources for the good of the people.
This is where democratic governance comes in. Tinubu affirmed in his speech that military coups were wrong, just like any civilian political arrangement that perpetuated injustice. As Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), he noted that he sought to re-establish democratic governance in a manner that would address the political and economic challenges in Niger Republic.
The President also spoke well here. But, he failed to strongly condemn corruption, sit-tight leadership and flawed elections troubling the continent. He said Africa didn’t need pity and that the rest of the world should walk with it as true friends and partners. “Africa is not a problem to be avoided nor is it to be pitied. Africa is nothing less than the key to the world’s future,” he said.
On the contrary, Africa has made nonsense of itself in the eyes of the world. Hence, the continent needs pity and should wake up. It needs leadership by example. It needs credible elections so that the right leaders will emerge.
It also needs sincerity of purpose and full commitment to defeat violent extremists wreaking havoc in different parts of the continent. Tinubu said these extremists and mercenaries invaded West Africa from the north with their lethal weapons and vile ideologies. He promised to devote himself to disbanding the extremist groups on our turf.
He also condemned what he called the mayhem visited on resource-rich areas such as Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso and many others. He noted that such action did not respect national boundaries, and that many such areas had become catacombs of misery and exploitation. This is worsened by the climate change ravaging the continent.
It is good that Tinubu has identified these challenges. But, it is one thing to identify the problems and another thing to genuinely move to solve them. All our past Presidents had similarly spoken well at the UN. The major snag here is that when our leaders go outside this country, they make fine speeches without admitting their own faults; they see how things are done but fail to replicate such in Nigeria. Beyond speech making, it is time to walk the talk as the challenges we face as a nation are enormous.
Every sector in Nigeria, for instance, is in the doldrums. From the economy to security; from the judiciary to the legislature and from our transition process to democracy generally, Nigeria has wobbled along variegated crises. Attracting foreign investment under this atmosphere will be a mirage.
We commend our President for at least delivering a fine speech in New York. Nevertheless, he needs to come home and face governance squarely. Let him domesticate his observations. The task before him is well cut out.
Africa, nay Nigeria, should assert itself. Our leaders should look inwards. We have the human and natural resources to develop this country and the continent. Tinubu and other leaders should be patriotic enough to give good governance. They should replicate the good things they see in the United States, Europe and even in parts of Asia in their countries. Let them emulate the system that works for others. That is one major thing that will guarantee economic growth and sustainable democracy in Africa.