Tinubu to African leaders: Stop relying on foreign blueprints
…urges Amandla Institute to project African countries as collaborators, not patronage seekers
By Kunle Sanni
President Bola Tinubu has urged African leaders to abandon their reliance on foreign strategies, emphasizing that the continent needs leaders who wield policy as a precise instrument rather than a mere slogan.
He lamented what he described as “the tragedy of our time,” where African leaders not only adopt foreign blueprints but also remain trapped in client-state mentalities and governance driven by superficial activism.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the Dr. Kayode Fayemi Commemorative Symposium and the launch of the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement, themed “Renewing the Pan-African Ideal for the Changing Times: The Policy and Leadership Challenges and Opportunities,” President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, stated:
“Whatever our differences across the continent, one fact that cannot be erased by our infighting is that we are in the age of machines. We cannot confront our development challenges with spears and arrows while the rest of the world is advancing with missiles and tanks. The world is not waiting for Africa to catch up.
“While we engage in political rivalries, others analyze datasets. While we debate history, others engineer the future. The train of progress accelerates, yet too many of our leaders cling to outdated paradigms. This is the tragedy of our time—our dependence on foreign blueprints and governance shaped by hashtag activism.”
President Tinubu emphasized that the Amandla Institute must serve as a catalyst for breaking this cycle.
“The founding of Amandla Institute is an antidote to this paralysis. We are here not just to generate ideas but to produce implementers. We need leaders who wield policy as a scalpel, not a slogan. We need visionaries who see AI as a collaborator, not a competitor. We need a generation of Africans who understand that Pan-Africanism, renewed for this era, must be anchored in actionable sovereignty.”
He stressed that Africa’s renaissance would not come as a gift but must be deliberately built.
“For too long, African leaders have outsourced their thinking, relying on institutions and ideologies that treat us as consumers rather than creators. We must empower our youth to innovate in tech hubs across the continent.”
He urged African leaders to transition from being custodians of power to architects of platforms, advocating for a future where:
- Every government ministry has AI strategists.
- Homegrown think tanks, like Amandla Institute, draft continental trade policies instead of foreign consultants.
- “Made in Africa” represents algorithms, green technology, and cultural capital, not just raw materials.
“Africa seeks collaboration, not patronage. This is the vision I expect Amandla to convey to the world. We are not a testing ground for experiments but equals in co-creating solutions.”
He further advised young Africans:
“You are the first generation with the tools to overcome colonial legacies. Our legacy as leaders can only be sustained through the systems we institutionalize. It is time for Africa to stop debating ideas and start implementing them.”
In his keynote address, former South African President Thabo Mbeki stated that Africa’s development aspirations have largely remained unmet due to poor leadership and inadequate resource mobilization.
He emphasized that in the emerging multipolar global order, African leaders must strategically position the continent to actively shape global decisions.
“Our continent must prioritize the development of competent leadership that can defend and advance Africa’s vast interests in a world of competing global powers.”
Mbeki expressed optimism that the Amandla Institute would play a crucial role in realizing Africa’s vision and increasing its participation in global decision-making.
Dignitaries in Attendance
Prominent figures at the event included:
- Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General
- Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), former Nigerian Head of State
- Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria
- Bukola Saraki, former Senate President
- Governors: Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo)
- Senate Leader: Opeyemi Bamidele
- Former Governors: Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa)
- John Oyegun, former APC National Chairman
- Traditional rulers: Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II
