President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on West African leaders to rekindle the founding vision of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), urging unity and deeper integration as the regional bloc marks its 50th anniversary.
Speaking at a high-profile event held Wednesday at Eko Hotel and Suites, Tinubu who currently chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government stressed the need to transcend colonial-era borders and embrace a future built on shared prosperity.
“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. That vision is still alive,” Tinubu declared.
The President paid glowing tribute to ECOWAS’s only surviving founding father, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, and commended the efforts of past and present leaders in sustaining the bloc’s ideals.
He highlighted ECOWAS’s strides in peacekeeping, trade liberalisation, free movement, and regional security, crediting initiatives like the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme and Joint Border Posts for boosting integration.
“ECOWAS is a beacon of African unity. Our region has pioneered free movement, expanded intra-regional trade, and deepened integration.” Tinubu said.
The Nigerian leader also praised ECOWAS’s role in promoting democratic governance through election monitoring, mediation, and institutions like the ECOWAS Parliament and Court of Justice.
While celebrating past achievements, Tinubu stressed the need for stronger implementation and greater inclusion, especially of youth and women.
“They are the key to our future. We must invest deliberately in their education, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and leadership,” he said.
On Nigeria’s role, Tinubu reaffirmed support for ECOWAS through initiatives like the Technical Aid Corps, pledging continued deployment of skilled professionals across the region.
The President also addressed recent exits by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, expressing hope they would rejoin the bloc.
“Let us remain open. Don’t push them away. They will come back,” Gen. Gowon urged.
Also speaking, ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray commended the bloc as Africa’s most active regional group, while Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar listed achievements ranging from gas pipelines to election integrity.
The event featured a symbolic re-enactment of the ECOWAS founding declaration and was attended by Presidents of Liberia, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, and representatives from Ghana, Senegal, Benin, and other member states.
“This Golden Jubilee is not just a celebration of the past. It’s a call to shape the future with unity, purpose, and resolve.” Tinubu concluded.
