Tinubu Urges African Leaders to Reward High Performance Over ‘Japa’

President Bola Tinubu has implored African leaders to make more strategic and deliberate efforts to address the exodus of skills and talent from Africa.

These efforts, he said, include stemming tribalism, rewarding performance and reforming archaic judicial systems.

Speaking at a dinner held in his honour at the People’s Palace in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on Wednesday night, President Tinubu said leaders must encourage research and development with the provision of appropriate rewards.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this in a statement he signed on Thursday titled ‘President Tinubu: We can stop skill exodus by enhancing performance incentivisation in Africa.’

The President said: “Why are we complaining about healthcare problems if our doctors cannot have a home in our continent? If our nurses are faced with destitution, and if our judicial system is archaic?”

Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit, said development in Africa will begin when the continent starts to look inward for solutions.

He argued, “Tribalism has no place in our nation or region. We have to strengthen the continent. Cultivate and maintain peace together and help one another.

“We have to develop our resources for our progress. Find solutions among ourselves and focus incisively on research and development, and reward those research and development programmes. We must bring out the results ourselves. We must not outsource them or sell them out.

“To the international organisations, we are partners. We will continue to be partners, but we must implement more than half of the results of the research established here. We have many youths to take care of. Millions yearning for progress.”

The Nigerian leader thanked his host, President Teodoro Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea for the invitation to visit Malabo.

He stated, “It is a joy coming down here from Abuja, and for me, it is a homecoming. We are one single family on the continent. We are like twins held together at the hips. We have nowhere to go, but to cling to each other.

“Our gathering here is a significant milestone in the history of Africa, particularly for West and Central Africa; between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. I am happy to hear very deep thoughts coming from my brother, the President of Equatorial Guinea, concerning Africa.”

Advocating a mindset shift in Africa’s self-perception, he said, “For the world, Africa is wretched and ragged, full of conflicts. We say no. Peace, stability, and democracy are the way forward for our collective and progressive development. We have agreed on that with President Mbasogo.

“We definitely will continue to promote peace and stability throughout the continent. Some of our other brothers in shackles are still there, at each other’s throats. We will both work together and do whatever is possible to promote peace.”

Tinubu said the long-standing conflicts in the Congo and Sahel require urgent collective action if sustainable peace is the goal.

“What we are seeing in certain parts of the continent and areas of the Sahel is not pleasant for our today and not promising for our tomorrow. We have to work together to make peace the focus of our development.

“Without peace, we cannot have development. Our problem is not that we do not understand what to do. We identify them, and we understand what to do. Our problem is how and when we should do them. I say the time is now.

“We had better roll up our sleeves, put on our knickers, and move strongly for the peace and stability of our continent,” the President stated.

In his remarks earlier, the President of Equatorial Guinea thanked President Tinubu for honouring his invitation.

“It is with utmost affection and respect that I would like to greet President Tinubu and wish him and his delegation a warm welcome to Equatorial Guinea.

“We wish to express our gratitude for your acceptance of our invitation. We feel honoured to host this meeting that brings us together in Malabo,’’ President Mbasogo stated.

The leader of Equatorial Guinea called for more collaboration and solidarity between both countries, stating that “Nigeria has always held a special place in our foreign policy.”

President Mbasogo said the momentum and dynamism in the bilateral relations should be strengthened while highlighting previous mutual agreements in the areas of education, mining, defence, security, and agriculture.

“We recognise Nigeria’s potential and experience as the largest economy in Africa since 2015, and we consider it one of the great global emerging markets.

“Mr. President, this visit is an opportunity to further strengthen our historical relationship to be much greater,’’ the Equatorial Guinean leader said.

Mbasogo noted that a deeper partnership is needed between both countries to fight piracy and insecurity while working with other countries of the African Union and the United Nations to tackle climate change, food shortages, and terrorism.

Before the dinner, both presidents signed an agreement on the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline Project.