ECOWAS at 50: President Tinubu Urges Leaders to Focus on Unity, Peace ,Tackle Poverty, Drive Innovation for a Prosperous W/ Africa. By Raymond Enoch.
As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marks its 50th anniversary today, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a powerful address delivered through Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu at the Golden Jubilee celebrations in Accra, Ghana, urged regional leaders to redouble efforts toward achieving lasting peace, inclusive growth, and sustainable development for the over 400 million people in West Africa.
The jubilee event, which marked five decades since ECOWAS was founded in 1975, was a moment for reflection on the community’s significant strides in fostering regional integration and economic cooperation. However, it was also a call to action. Tinubu’s speech, while acknowledging ECOWAS’s successes in promoting democracy, peace, and economic cooperation, highlighted the pressing challenges that still face the region, particularly poverty, youth unemployment, and inadequate access to education.
“Despite our shared vision, too many of our citizens still live in poverty, too many of our children lack access to quality education, and too many of our youth remain unemployed or disillusioned,” said Tinubu, underscoring the urgent need for transformative policies that address these pressing issues.
Tinubu, who assumed the role of Chairperson of the ECOWAS Commission, made an impassioned plea for regional leaders to invest in the future of West Africa’s youth. He emphasized the importance of education, innovation, and skill acquisition as pillars for unlocking the full potential of the region. “We must place our young, dynamic, creative, and resilient people at the center of our agenda,” he said.
Tinubu also advocated for strengthening regional integration to stimulate economic growth. He cited ECOWAS’s establishment of one of Africa’s most vibrant free trade areas as a major achievement, but noted that the journey toward a truly united and prosperous West Africa was far from complete. “We must deepen our economic cooperation and support intra-regional trade to ensure that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) becomes a vehicle for genuine transformation,” he stated.
Beyond economic integration, the President stressed the importance of peace, democracy, and good governance. In light of recent political instability in some member states, Tinubu reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to upholding the principles of democracy and the rule of law, while condemning unconstitutional changes in government. He also highlighted the critical role ECOWAS has played in mediating conflicts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia, through initiatives like ECOMOG peacekeeping missions.
The President’s vision for the future of ECOWAS went beyond economic and political concerns; he called for a reimagined ECOWAS—one that is not only a community of states but a community of people. This vision includes strengthening bonds among member states, fostering solidarity, and ensuring the organization is responsive to the evolving needs of the people it serves.
As ECOWAS looks to its next 50 years, Tinubu urged leaders to implement bold reforms that will make the organization more effective and relevant in addressing the region’s challenges. “This moment calls for a renewed commitment to fostering unity and solidarity among Member States,” he said, urging for the continued strengthening of ECOWAS’s institutional framework to meet future challenges.
In his conclusion, President Tinubu invoked a powerful metaphor: “A tree does not stand alone in the forest.” He stressed that West Africa’s strength lies in its unity and collaboration. “Nigeria pledges to collaborate with every nation—large or small—to build an ECOWAS that is resilient to confront the challenges of our time,” he declared.
As ECOWAS celebrates its Golden Jubilee, the call for unity, peace, and renewed commitment to the people of West Africa has never been more pertinent. The path forward will require collective action, bold leadership, and a shared vision of a prosperous, democratic, and peaceful region. The next 50 years, President Tinubu promised, will be an era when West Africa rises—united, prosperous, and unstoppable.
