Africa must work together to survive – Gbajabiamila

Forum 10 months ago

Africa must work together to survive – Gbajabiamila

Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, Thursday, said that Africa must create its own way of surviving global pandemics and other challenges facing the continent.

Gbajabiamila made the assertion at a brief ceremony in Abuja to hand over the baton of leadership of Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments (CoSAP) to his Ghanaian counterpart, Hon. Bagbin Alban Sumana Bagbin.

It will be recalled that CoSAP was Gbajabiamila’s brainchild birthed on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 to enable speakers of African parliaments to brainstorm on ways of mitigating the deadly effects of the virus, amongst other challenge.

Thursday event however became necessary to enable Gbajabiamila who will be exiting office soon hand over the baton of leadership to his colleagues.

Speaking at the occasion, Gbajabiamila said: “As representatives and advocates in our national parliaments, we can influence national discourse and frame public debates. We must use this power to preach the message of African brotherhood and shape the worldview of our various peoples to achieve a common understanding of how deeply connected we all are and how it is in all our best interests to look out for each other in a world that more often than not, will not look out for us. Through CoSAP, we will continue to work together, doing all we can to achieve great things for our African homeland.

“My brother, Rt Hon Bagbin, when the Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments (CoSAP) was conceived, your predecessor, Rt Hon Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, was the first head of parliament I shared the vision with. He did not need convincing; he understood the need for an institution such as CosAP and recognized the many possibilities that could derive from it. It is to your personal credit that you have so skillfully carried on the partnership.

“When I hosted you here in Abuja in 2021, I expressed my hope that long after our time in politics has passed, we can sit back as brothers do to look back with pride and thanksgiving for the things we have achieved together – for Ghana, for Nigeria, and for Africa. My time as Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives will shortly end.

“However, our friendship and our partnership continues. And I am honoured to hand the Conference of African Speakers (CoSAP) into your care. As you undertake the task of charting the course of parliamentary cooperation and collaboration in Africa, you have my support as my dear brother and my worthy friend.

“I look forward to bearing witness to the role of the Conference of African Speakers (CoSAP) in defining and achieving a new African century. I am grateful to all my colleague speakers and heads of African parliaments for believing in the idea of CoSAP, supporting it and bringing it to fruition. When, in due time, the benefits of our joined efforts are assessed, we will each and together share in the legacy of achievement and progress that will derive therefrom.”

Similarly, the speaker also handed over the leadership and operations of Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI) to the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).

The mission of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI) is to identify, attract and train dedicated and capable young people to participate and thrive in politics, governance, and public service, particularly in the legislature.

The programme was designed to demystify politics and government for a generation of young people who often don’t understand how government works, how decisions are made, and how they can participate in building a better society.

Handing over the institute, Gbajabiamila hoped NILDS will sustain the legacies of LMI.

“This mission is more critical today than it was on the day we launched this initiative. With each new day, the LMI mandate becomes more urgent, more significant, and more pivotal to the cause of our nationhood. Therefore, it follows that sustaining the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), ensuring that this programme continues to engage, identify, and empower more young people to participate in the politics and governance of our country, is a responsibility from which we must not relent.

“Under the leadership of the Director General, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has been a valuable partner from the beginning in planning and executing the vision of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI). I am confident that the initiative will be safe in his hands, with the support of the capable men and women of the NILDS”, he said.