Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said Nigerians needed a new positive mindset to rebuild the country.
Akpabio spoke on a day former Ghanaian President, John Mahama, said the rising trend of civil unrest in Africa was a reflection of the deep disillusionment with the democratic process on the continent .
The duo spoke yesterday at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association NBA Annual General Conference in Lagos
The Senate President said: “Yesterday’s mindset took us to where we are today, and today’s mindset will definitely take us to where we will be tomorrow.
“We must transform our minds. This has become the rallying cry of the current President of our dear country, Bola Tinubu.”
He also emphasized the critical role of the legal community in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to rebuild and transform the nation.
He commended the theme of this year’s NBA conference, “Pressing Forward a National Posture for Rebuilding Nigeria,” describing it as a call to transform the nation through a paradigm shift in thinking and attitudes.
Akpabio highlighted the historic significance of the NBA and its pivotal role in shaping Nigeria’s path to independence and beyond.
“This body was at the centre of raising awareness about the need for independence as a nation and played a pivotal role in shaping the legal and political landscape that facilitated our path to independence in 1960,” he said.
Akpabio lauded the NBA’s rich history, grounded in principles of justice, independence, and excellence but urged the association not to rest on its laurels.
“While we take pride in our past, we must not rest on our laurels. Instead, let us move forward, welcoming the future with open hearts and minds,” he added.
Rising unrest in Africa, reflection of disillusion with democratic process- Mahama
On his part, former President of Ghana, John Mahama, said the rising trend of civil unrest in Africa iwas a reflection of the deep disillusionment with the democratic process in the continent .
Speaking on the topic, ”Africa’s Future Amidst Rising Security, Economic and Political Challenges”, he reiterated the need to strengthen the pillars of democracy, rule of law, preservation of powers, and the protection of fundamental human rights to tackle the challenges on the continent.
“Recent developments on the international stage underscore the instability and insecurity pervading the global system. These events point to institutional failures and the inability of powerful interests to act decisively when it matters most.
”The ripple effects of these global crises are felt acutely in Africa, intensifying existing challenges and giving rise to new ones.
“The recent wave of political insurrections and coups in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, reflect deep-seated issues of injustice, alienation and marginalization.
”The state fragility and insecurity that have led to military takeovers have not only disrupted mutual understanding within the eco-west sub-region, but also exposed the limitation of current diplomatic and interventionist strategies.
“We must ask ourselves, what is the future of Africa? What are the challenges that threaten Africa’s future? And what role do you as legal professionals have in securing this future?
”To answer these questions, we must first examine the structural challenges that undermine our African economies, challenges that have been starkly highlighted by recent global events.
“These events have not only disrupted our economies, but have also exposed the deep-rooted vulnerabilities that long existed beneath the surface of our economic frameworks.
”Our continent’s heavy reliance on exporting commodities and importing essential goods has made us especially vulnerable to the unpredictable fluctuation of global markets. This vulnerability is not a recent development,” he said.
Speaking on African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, Mahama noted that the initiative was not just an economic necessity, but also a realisation of the Pan-African dream, stating it was the duty of lawyers to advocate and implement legal mechanisms that enabled free movement of people and goods across borders, while addressing the legitimate security concerns associated with that.
He said:
