By Chesa Chesa
President Bola Tinubu has implored African leaders to make more strategic and deliberate efforts in addressing the exodus of skills and talent from Africa.
Speaking at a dinner held in his honour at the People’s Palace in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on Wednesday night, President Tinubu said research and development must be encouraged with the provision of appropriate rewards.
The President asked: “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?”
President Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit, said development in Africa will begin when the continent starts to look inwards for solutions.
“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 organizations, 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 President said.
President Tinubu thanked President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for the invitation to visit Malabo.
“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.
