Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on African countries to unite and pool their resources to achieve stronger pan-African economic ties.
Speaking in Lagos at the commemoration of Angola’s National Founder and Hero’s Day 2024, Obasanjo emphasized that “one of the things we tend to do as humans is forget the past and our leaders who made sacrifices for what we are enjoying today.”
He highlighted the need to focus on economic liberation, stating, “We have achieved political and cultural pan-Africanism to an extent but now we have to focus on the economic liberation of Africa.”
Obasanjo stressed the importance of economic ties, noting, “Our pan-Africanism must be strong… We should ask ourselves, why did we have slave trade? It is because some nations want energy to develop their new world and make money.”
He praised the efforts of former Cuban President Fidel Castro in Angola’s liberation and revealed that Nigeria provided $20 million in financial aid to Angola’s fight for independence.
The former president emphasized that economic pan-Africanism is crucial for Africa’s growth, saying, “As far as pan-Africanism is concerned, as long as we are economically weak, we are going nowhere and we can’t do it alone… We need to ensure and achieve the economic liberation of Africa.”
Angolan Ambassador José Zau acknowledged Neto’s principles as shaping the philosophy of African brotherhood, while Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Angola in the spirit of pan-Africanism.
Tuggar noted, “Nigeria is proud to have played a part in supporting Angola’s independence struggle guided by the same ideals that have shaped our own journey… Neto’s vision of a united and self-reliant Africa is one we share with our Angolan brothers and sisters.”
