According to him, while democracy must be defended, it must translate into tangibles of quality healthcare, good education, food security, shelter, and overall economic prosperity for the people of Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu has said that though Africa as a continent is blessed with a lot of resources, it has been thrown into the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) basket of trickle-down slices.
President Tinubu, who said this on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the United States Congress led by Senator Cory Booker, at the State House in Abuja, said that Africa’s resources are now causing conflicts because of exploitation and a lack of alignment.
He said that America needs to look at the situation in Africa critically, stressing that what is happening in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger emanated from a helpless feeling people have that they are not being helped economically.
According to him, while democracy must be defended, it must translate into tangibles of quality healthcare, good education, food security, shelter, and overall economic prosperity for the people of Nigeria.
He said, “Nigeria, as the giant of Africa, had suffered leadership elephantiasis years back. I am determined to change that. Adhering to the principles of democracy and the rule of law is very important to us.
“I wonder how democracy will survive if we do not fight for it. I fought for this democracy. I risked my life for it. Military truncation of democracy is unacceptable. The power of our citizens is and must remain supreme.”
President Tinubu emphasised the need for the US to evolve a more prudent and pragmatic partnership with Africa, saying that the US should consider upscaling critical development programmes to strengthen ties with the continent.
He said, “It is important for our partners to help strengthen democracy in Africa. Our developmental programmes need serious capital. We are not asking for freebies. All we are asking for is understanding.”
Tinubu continued, “After the Second World War, Europe was impacted. America developed and executed the Marshall Plan to pull them back up. Today, Europe is standing firm and tall as a result. What about a Marshall Plan for Africa?
“How can we be categorized and thrown into the IMF’s basket of trickle-down slices? We are blessed in Africa, but these are the same resources causing conflicts because of exploitation and a lack of alignment.
“The presence of the resources does not reflect in the living conditions of the people. We must not use yesterday’s methods to address today’s challenges. Nobody wants to risk their life to run away from Africa.
“America needs to look at the situation in Africa critically. What is happening in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger emanates from a helpless feeling people have that they are not being helped economically.
“They find that their former colonial masters are not letting go and are still seeking to exploit them. We have mineral resources. What technology can you bring to help turn that into economic prosperity?
“Can you put de-risking finance in place to incentivize John Deere to assist us in massively mechanizing our food production processes? There is so much we can do in the advancement of education. See Africa as a necessary partner for the sustenance of democracy.
“We are capable and willing to lift our own people out of poverty.”
Speaking earlier, Senator Cory Booker noted that Nigeria and the United States are partners bound by shared values of democracy, rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance.
The US lawmaker said, “I share my enthusiasm about deepening partnership between Nigeria and the United States. We know in America that there is no greater or more important partner for the United States on the African continent than its biggest country, its biggest democracy, and its biggest economy.
“I am excited about the opportunity we have had to learn, to listen, to meet these extraordinary people in your community that share our common values of democracy, entrepreneurship, and commitment to peace and strong growth.
“We know the investments we make in this country in different sectors, and our partnership on security and counter-terrorism are not just for Nigeria’s benefit but for both of our countries’ benefit.
“I can relate with what you are doing, Mr. President. I was the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, for years, and I know what I had to go through to reverse the fortunes of one of America’s most impoverished and troubled megacities. Several Newark Mayors before me fell on corruption charges. I had to restore hope and confidence.
“I had to beg investors to come in and believe in our city. We were persistent and we broke through. Newark is dramatically different today. I see so many similarities between the sustainable turnaround I led and the efforts you are making to transform Nigeria for the better. You have a partner in the United States.