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Enioluwa Adeniyi
Guest
President Bola Tinubu arrived back in Abuja on Friday evening after completing a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea.
The Gulfstream jet carrying the President touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 6:30 pm.
This marks President Tinubu’s 22nd foreign trip since assuming office 15 months ago.
He was welcomed back to the country by top government officials, including Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, among others.
During his visit to the Central African nation, President Tinubu and his Equatorial Guinean counterpart, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, signed an agreement on the Gulf of Guinea Pipeline Project.
The agreement covers legislative and regulatory measures for the gas pipeline, ownership, and general operational principles, strengthening the partnership between the two countries for mutual development.
In remarks made at the signing ceremony, Tinubu emphasized that the new agreement would unlock opportunities for gas exploration and create employment opportunities.
He noted that during a private meeting with President Mbasogo, they discussed critical issues such as employment creation, food security, conflict resolution mechanisms, and the promotion of peace and stability in Africa.
“Concerning Africa, conflicts and conflict resolution were discussed. We discussed various areas of conflict and what we can do to promote peace and stability in our countries and on our continent,” Tinubu said.
The discussions also touched on security challenges, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and addressing food insecurity across the continent.
During a dinner hosted in his honor, Tinubu called on African leaders to make strategic efforts to address the exodus of skills and talent from the continent.
He urged leaders to combat tribalism, reward performance, and reform outdated judicial systems as part of broader efforts to retain talent and foster growth.
The President queried, “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?
“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 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.”
Equatorial Guinea is the seventh African state Tinubu has visited. So far, he has been to Paris, France (thrice); London, the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; Pretoria, South Africa; Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal and Doha, Qatar.
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