African leaders have been urged to safeguard the continent’s sovereign autonomy and resist foreign domination, with a warning that continued dependence could leave Africa perpetually constrained despite its vast human and natural resources.
This call was made at a high-level policy workshop held on Tuesday at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Lagos, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed.
The workshop, themed “Has Africa Come of Age? Murtala Muhammed’s Pan-African Vision 50 Years After,” was jointly organised by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) and the NIIA.
In his welcome remarks, the Director-General of the NIIA, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, said Africa must reclaim its assertiveness on the global stage, stressing that the continent is no longer an appendage of global powers but an emerging force in a multipolar world.
Reflecting on General Muhammed’s historic declaration that “Africa has come of age,” delivered on January 11, 1976, at an extraordinary summit of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, Osaghae said the statement underscored the principle of strategic autonomy and self-determination.
“When General Murtala said Africa had come of age, he was telling the world that Africa is no longer an appendage or a copycat,” he said. “It was a declaration of strategic autonomy, Africa insisting on determining its own path and solutions to African problems. Continued dependence on foreign aid will not deliver the outcomes Africa seeks.”
In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, Dr. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, described her father as a leading figure in Africa’s liberation struggle whose Pan-African vision elevated Nigeria’s and Africa’s standing globally.
She said his famous assertion that Africa had come of age remains a rallying cry for unity, independence and confidence in international affairs.
According to her, the workshop was organised to inspire young Africans to pursue careers in diplomacy, governance and international development as a means of confronting the continent’s persistent challenges.
Delivering the keynote address, former Minister of External Affairs and Professor of Political Science, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, described the late Head of State as a leader of exceptional courage who restored national pride and left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s foreign policy.
“To say Africa has come of age is not a claim of perfection, but an acceptance of responsibility,” Akinyemi said. “It demands honest self-assessment of our political maturity, economic resilience, institutional strength and cultural confidence while confronting the unfinished business of independence.”
During the panel session, Deputy Director of Research at the NIIA, Dr. Joshua Bolarinwa, argued that Africa is yet to fully realise the vision of self-reliance and bold leadership articulated by General Muhammed nearly five decades ago.
He linked this gap to leadership deficits across the continent and urged African leaders to take decisive responsibility for shaping Africa’s destiny.
Similarly, President of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Prof. Hassan Saliu, said both Nigeria and Africa are yet to fulfil General Muhammed’s vision, particularly in the areas of sovereignty, unity, liberation and freedom as outlined in his Addis Ababa speech.
Participants at the workshop agreed that while progress has been made, Africa must recommit to the ideals of self-determination, courageous leadership and Pan-African solidarity to truly fulfil the vision of one of its most iconic leaders.
