President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, has urged African leaders to embrace homegrown development models rather than depending on foreign plans.
Tinubu, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, made the call at kayode Fayemi’s commemorative symposium, noting that the African continent was in dire need of leaders who implemented appropriate policies instead of chanting slogans.
He therefore pointed out that it would be wishful thinking to hope that the renaissance of Africa would happen as a gift, maintaining that it must be built.
President Tinubu, therefore regretted that for too long, African leaders outsourced their thinking, relying on institutions and ideologies that treated countries on the continent as consumers, not creators, as he insisted that the youth must be empowered to innovate in tech hubs across the continent.
“We must empower our youths to innovate in tech hubs across the continent, from Cairo, down through Nairobi, to Lagos, building unicorns without the permission of any gatekeepers.
“What they lack is not ideas but ecosystems—systems where policy, funding, and political will converge to scale their genius,” he noted.
He stated that, “the institute must become a command centre for the continent, turning thinkers into doers, policies into progress, and Pan-African ideals into realities.
9News Nigeria reports that the theme of the symposium was, “Renewing the Pan-African Ideal for the Changing Times: The Policy and Leadership Challenges and Opportunities.”
