By Correspondent.
The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has described President Bola Tinubu’s speech on the African renaissance at the inauguration of Ghana’s new President, John Mahama, as the best testament to the continent’s capacity to reinvent itself and build on its potential.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Emeka Nwankpa and Secretary Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG said it was another view of Tinubu as a Pan-Africanist and a true champion of the Black race.
It read in part, “Looking back at President Tinubu’s speech as a special guest at the inauguration of Ghana’s newly elected President, John Mahama, it was not surprising that he used the platform to showcase Africa’s resilience against its myriad of challenges.
“This is a line he had constantly pushed at all his international engagements aside from promoting Nigeria’s interests.
“And using Ghana as a shining example of practical democracy, President Tinubu, who has in recent times vigorously championed the cause in the West African sub-region, was emphatic in noting that “the development lays to bed the question of whether Ghana and Africa are capable of democratic and productive endeavours.”.
“For us, that message could not have been more appropriate at a time of a resurgent military adventurism in some countries of West Africa.
“Anyone aware of Tinubu’s antecedents as a pro-democracy activist would not be surprised by his reference to the long years of unbroken democracy in Ghana and Nigeria which we see as a fitting response to Africa’s critics on the strides the continent has made in development of democracy.
“We acknowledge it as another bold statement of Africa’s readiness to live up to its historical capacity to govern its people and build their economy. It was why, in his speech, President Tinubu maintained that Africa had nothing to prove to anyone again. Africa, he stressed, will build a ‘resilient economy at our own pace.’ Nothing could be more direct and reassuring.
“It is a reflection of the knowledge that Africa has abundant natural resources which it could leverage to lift its people from abject poverty into refreshing prosperity.
“Also interesting to TMSG is President Tinubu’s position that African countries should not allow external interests to escalate normal differences and disagreements that could be amicably resolved by sincere brotherly dialogue.
“This is a statesman-like message that is needed at a time Africa is locked down by a renewed scramble by global players and superpowers contending for influence in the continent.”
TMSG believes that Nigeria plays a major role in President Tinubu’s watch in championing Africa’s cause in global affairs.
“It remains therefore to be seen how his brother – Presidents – and leaders in Africa and the entire Black race respectively take his message back home as a collective wake-up call”, the group said.
