Olisa Agbakoba, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), says no African leader has spoken for the continent the way President Bola Tinubu did at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Tinubu on Wednesday addressed world leaders at the 78th session of UNGA, during which he said unfair treatment and foreign exploitation have stunted Africa’s progress.

In a statement on Wednesday night, Agbakoba said Tinubu speech was a well-received statement with which the president asserted that Africans are not beggars but equal partners.

According to Agbakoba, “Never in the history of UNGA has an African president spoken for the entire African continent that we are not beggars but equal partners with all the geopolitical blocks of the world.

“Not since Kwame Nkrumah and his vision for a pan-African agenda for development, has a speech ever been delivered by any African leader on behalf of the 54 nations of Africa. Africa has itself to blame if it fails to build on the important policy speech by President Tinubu at the United Nations General Assembly”.

With years of experience in Nigerian journalism, Iniobong Iwok has built a reputation for deep political insight, compelling storytelling, and consistent, fact-driven reporting. Over the years, he has gained extensive experience reporting and writing incisive political analysis. Iniobong has interviewed key political figures across Nigeria and covered major national events, including the 2019 and 2023 general elections. A versatile journalist, he also has strong experience in education reporting and sector analysis. His work reflects a deep commitment to good governance and public accountability. Iniobong holds a B.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Ilorin and an M.Sc. in Sociology (Development Specialisation) from Lagos State University.

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