President Bola Tinubu, former military Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon, and former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, have advocated homegrown solutions and strong leadership to address the challenges confronting African countries.

They called on African leaders to abandon reliance on foreign blueprints, stressing that the continent needs leaders who wield policy as a tool for transformation rather than as mere rhetoric.

Speaking at the Dr. Kayode Fayemi commemorative symposium and the launch of the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement in Abuja, Tinubu lamented what he described as the tragedy of the moment, where African leaders remain dependent on external plans while failing to break free from a client-state mentality. Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the event, Tinubu highlighted the urgent need for Africa to embrace technological advancement and innovation.

Mbeki, in his keynote address, noted that Africa’s development aspirations had largely been unmet due to poor leadership and inadequate resource mobilisation. He urged African leaders to position the continent strategically in a multipolar global order, ensuring it actively participates in shaping the global agenda.

On his part, Gowon commended Fayemi for the initiative and emphasised that Africa can pave its own way by fostering solutions from within, utilising innovation and indigenous knowledge.