By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
NIGERIA’s PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has called on West African leaders to revive and uphold the founding ideals of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) pn deeper integration and youth empowerment, as the regional bloc marked its 50th anniversary in Lagos.
Addressing dignitaries at Eko Hotel and Suites on Wednesday, the Nigerian leader urged member states to dismantle colonial-era borders in favour of deeper regional unity.
As Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu underscored the enduring relevance of the bloc’s original mission.
He praised the vision of ECOWAS’s pioneers, highlighting their aim of a unified West Africa defined by free movement, integration, and shared progress.
He paid tribute to General Dr Yakubu Gowon, GCFR, the only surviving founding father, while commending past and present leaders of the Community.
He acknowledged the efforts of former Executive Secretaries, Commission Presidents, and the ECOWAS Commission staff in building the bloc into a respected regional institution.
Tinubu affirmed that ECOWAS had lived up to expectations in multiple areas: trade liberalisation, peacekeeping, democratic governance, and regional security.
He pointed to landmark initiatives such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, Joint Border Posts, and the Community’s coordinated responses to terrorism, pandemics, and financial crimes.
On democratic governance, Tinubu cited election observation missions, conflict mediation, and judicial instruments like the ECOWAS Parliament and Court of Justice as vital tools for advancing rule of law and accountability.
He also spotlighted progress in agriculture, digital innovation, and infrastructure, particularly through the ECOWAS Infrastructure Master Plan (2020–2045), and called for stronger implementation of policies that deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
Young people and women, Tinubu said, must become central to the region’s development strategy. He urged more investment in their education, health, and entrepreneurship, describing them as “key to our future stability and prosperity.”
Reaffirming Nigeria’s longstanding support, Tinubu noted that the country had provided skilled professionals across the region through the Technical Aid Corps for nearly four decades and would continue responding to future requests.
The President stressed the need for unity, reminding West African leaders that the next fifty years demand a recommitment to integration. He urged the bloc to resist disunity, stating that ECOWAS’s strength lay in its solidarity.
He concluded with a direct appeal to West African citizens: “This is your Community. Your hands have built it. Your resilience sustains it. And your dreams will define what it becomes.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar also hailed ECOWAS’s record on peacekeeping, trade, and democratic strengthening.
General Yakubu Gowon expressed satisfaction with the regional body’s endurance, voicing optimism that Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso would eventually rejoin.
He urged continued diplomatic outreach to the breakaway states, emphasising cultural bonds and mutual interests.
ECOWAS Commission President Dr Omar Alieu Touray noted that the bloc had matured into Africa’s most active regional organisation, symbolising the continent’s capacity for unity and leadership.
The anniversary began with a ceremonial re-enactment of ECOWAS’s founding at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and drew attendance from heads of state, foreign ministers, and top regional officials, including the Presidents of Liberia, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau.
