ECOWAS at 50: Tinubu urges leaders to uphold founders’ legacy

By Kunle Sanni

President Bola Tinubu has called on West African leaders to uphold the ideals and vision of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as the regional bloc marked its 50th anniversary in Lagos on Wednesday.

Delivering the keynote address at the Golden Jubilee celebration held at Eko Hotel and Suites, President Tinubu, who currently serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said the founders of ECOWAS envisioned a region united by cooperation, not divided by colonial-era borders.

“In 1975, our founding leaders envisioned a West Africa where borders unite rather than divide — a region of free movement, thriving trade, and peaceful coexistence,” Tinubu said. “That vision is still alive, and we must sustain it.”

He paid special tribute to Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, the only surviving founding father of ECOWAS, applauding his pioneering efforts in creating the bloc. Tinubu also commended past and present leaders, ECOWAS Commission staff, and other stakeholders for sustaining the body over the years.

The president highlighted ECOWAS’s accomplishments in regional