President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said African nations would no longer accept a situation where human rights advocacy is used by wealthy and powerful nations to stop developing economies from reforms.
The president also said as one the lucky survivors of gripping poverty, he would ensure “our people have arisen out of that, we will not rest, even if it requires decisions at home that make me temporarily unpopular.”
The President said this Thursday while meeting with United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, at his UN Headquarters Office in New York City.
“We are facing the great challenge of scavengers ravaging our lands and oppressing our people on illegal mines—taking our gold and mineral wealth back to developed economies by stealth and violence against Nigerians.
“Where one’s human right ends, the rights of another begin; most especially for self-protection. If we fight, they say ‘human rights,’ but we will now be aggressive and we will question motives. We will stop what is happening in our land. We require your effective collaboration,” the president said.
The Nigerian leader said the United Nations must transform from being one of the world’s foremost talk shops to discuss global issues, into becoming the world’s foremost action coordination center.
Tinubu said a situation where 70% of the resources being devoted to the world’s poorest countries were being spent and sent back out on overheads and administrative costs, would defeat the purpose and objectives of the organization where help is needed most.
“The poverty ravaging our continent and the question of security and counter-terrorism requires us to work in close and effective synergy. The world will ignore Nigeria at its own peril. If we engage in talk shops as real challenges wreak real havoc in real time, we will fail. The time to strike is now.
“The time to achieve real results is now. I fought for democracy. I was detained for democracy. I am now President and I am determined to prove that democracy can provide the development that our nation and our continent so urgently demands.
“Trace those of us here to our foundations and you will find that we have ties and links with poverty. We must not be ashamed of that history, but poverty is unacceptable. I am one of the lucky survivors of gripping poverty. Nigeria is truly a giant. 240 million people and counting with a massive youth population.
“We are done saying too much. We seek much action. We have arisen out of poverty as individuals, but until our people have arisen out of that, we will not rest, even if it requires decisions at home that make me temporarily unpopular,” he added.
UN scribe speaks
In response, the UN Secretary-General said the system of the global body was in the process of real reform that would largely address some of the institutional frailties and lack of decision-making power for the developing world, on whose behalf more than 75% of UN resources are accrued.
“We now recognise the need to reform the institution to represent the world as it is today. The questions of debt and SDRs; the fact that middle-income countries have only marginal access to concessional funding.
“In the SDGs Summit, we believe we have a growing political consensus and now, a declaration, in this regard. We are pursuing this with great determination,” the UN Secretary-General said.
He assured President Tinubu of the fullest support of the UN system for ECOWAS in light of the series of military coups which have occurred in the West African sub-region in the past few months and years.
“Mr. President, we have high expectations for your presidency after the many bold steps you have taken. Nigeria is an indispensable voice in the sub-region.
“We will give you every support needed for your success to be achieved. Your success is Africa’s success and we wish you well,” he said.
Malagi speaks on gains
Speaking on the gains of the UNGA session to Nigeria, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris Malagi said President Tinubu is leading the way for Africa’s participation at the global stage.
Featuring on the NTA@9 News Programme Thursday night, Malagi said: “Of course, you saw him (Tinubu) with President of South Africa, President Cyril Ramophosa, you saw him with President of Union of Comoros, President Azali Assoumani, you saw him with King Hussein of Jordan, you saw him with the President of Angola, and all of them are ready to rally round Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria also takes its rightful place.
“It appears the world is welcoming Nigeria back to its fold. So much is happening, Nigeria is being expected to lead the way and President Bola Tinubu is doing just that. Nigeria is becoming a very important nation once again, and it’s taking its rightful place.
“Like I said earlier, it’s not just for Nigeria but the rest of Africa, opening the space, we are there, we participate, we compete and Nigeria and Africa will be the best for it.”
He said Tinubu had a robust outing at UNGA not only for Nigeria but the whole of Africa.
“It’s been a fantastic visit for Mr President. He’s there not only for Nigeria but for Africa,” he said.
The minister commended the president for his well-thought out speech at the UNGA, which he said highlighted the importance of affirming democratic governance as the best guarantor of the sovereign will and well-being of the people and Africa’s protracted battle against violent extremists.
He said the speech also highlighted global trust and solidarity to secure the continent’s mineral-rich areas from pilfering and conflict, climate change severe impacts Nigeria and Africa, and the need for other nations and their private sector actors to see African development as a priority not just for Africa but in their interests as well.
The minister said one of the low-hanging fruits of the President’s participation at the UNGA was ExxonMobil’s pledge of a new production of nearly 40,000bpd in its Nigerian operations in phase one of a new investment push in the country.
