Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president, stated on Wednesday that African leaders must develop indigenous answers to the various issues the continent is now facing. This was spoken by Obasanjo while addressing a group of students and young people from several African nations at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, in Abeokuta. President of the All-Africa Students’ Union, AASU, Osisiogu Osikenyi, headed the group, which also included student leaders from Ethiopia and the Tigray Region.
The Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front, TPLF, and the government of Ethiopia reached a permanent cease of hostilities deal in Pretoria in 2022, according to NAN. The students paid Obasanjo a “thank you” visit as a result.
According to the former president insisted, “no problem in Africa is too great for us to solve.”
In order to develop and carry out practical domestic answers to the difficulties the continent faces, Mr. Obasanjo said it was critical for Africa to take into account the unique characteristics of its population.
He said that by resolving the civil conflict between Tigray and Ethopia, the African Union (AU) had demonstrated its ability to provide indigenous solutions to the challenges facing the continent.
“It is a great lesson for us to know that yes, whatever may be our problem – political, economic, social in Africa, we can solve them if we go about seeking solutions rightly.
“What is very important and which I want you to take very seriously is that, what we were able to achieve in Tigray between TPLF and the Government of Ethopia is what you and I will regard as finding African solutions to African problems.
“This is what our leaders have been clamouring for even from independence in the early 1960s.
“No problem in Africa is too great for us to solve; problem of peace, problem of insecurity, problem of youth unemployment, lack of empowerment, lack of skill acquisition and general bad governance,” Obasanjo said.
In his remarks, the President of Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions Students’ Union, EHEISU, Oli Wako, said that African students’ leaders were with Obasanjo on a ‘thank you’ visit.
Mr Wako noted that the former president played a key role in the historic signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement among the Federal Republic of Ethiopia and Tigray Liberation Fronts.
He claims that the bloodiest conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray area has left a trail of enormous damage and anguish in addition to taking the lives of numerous young people.
He did, however, point out that Obasanjo’s initiative had saved numerous lives and given Tigray’s war-torn area a solid basis on which to rebuild.
“Baba, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering commitment in brokering the peace agreement in Ethiopia.
“Your contributions have brought a new sense of hope to our people, and we stand here today, forever grateful for your remarkable efforts.
“It is with humility that we approach you today to seek your continued assistance,” he said.
