International
AfCFTA cannot succeed without free movement of Africans, Lumumba tells leaders
From Adeko Ukpa
Professor Patrick Loch Otieno (PLO) Lumumba has called on African leaders to remove unnecessary barriers restricting the movement of people across the continent.
He warned that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) cannot achieve its objectives if Africans are unable to move freely to participate in the emerging single market.
Lumumba argued that Africa’s ambition to establish an integrated continental economy would remain incomplete if governments continued to facilitate the movement of goods and capital while treating the movement of African citizens with suspicion.
He spoke at the Bridge Club’s grand end-of-year event in Lagos on Thursday, where he delivered a keynote address titled Africa Must Not Become Foreign to Itself: Xenophobia, Pan-Africanism and the Future of African Belonging.
According to him, the success of continental economic integration depends not only on trade agreements and tariff reductions but also on the ability of entrepreneurs, professionals, workers and investors to move across national borders.
He said: “We cannot celebrate when Nigerian products enter another African market but become anxious when the Nigerian entrepreneur follows them.”
CAPTION: L-R: The panelists, Hon. Abdulrahman Abba Terab and Amb.Godwin Adakole Adama with the moderator, ace broadcaster, Kadaria Ahmed at the end-of-the-year symposium of The Bridge Club Lagos on Xenophobia and Pan-Africanism on Thursday at the Continental Hotel, Lagos.
Lumumba maintained that goods and services could not independently drive economic integration without the people whose skills, knowledge and enterprise made commercial activities possible.
“Goods do not manufacture themselves. Services do not provide themselves. Capital does not negotiate contracts, establish companies or cross borders without human agency,” he said.
He noted that behind every commercial transaction were entrepreneurs, transporters, engineers, lawyers, bankers, technicians, traders and workers whose contributions were essential to the success of an integrated African market.
The legal scholar questioned the logic of promoting free trade while maintaining restrictive immigration policies that made it difficult for Africans to establish businesses, seek employment or pursue professional opportunities in other African countries.
He said the contradiction was particularly evident in the continent’s efforts to implement the AfCFTA while the African Union’s Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment remained unimplemented.
Lumumba observed that although the AfCFTA Agreement had entered into force, the free movement protocol adopted in 2018 had yet to enter into force.
He described the situation as evidence that African governments had made greater progress in agreeing to move commodities across borders than in facilitating the movement of their own citizens.
He, however, acknowledged that governments retained legitimate responsibilities to regulate immigration, protect national security, enforce labour standards and ensure compliance with professional requirements.
According to him, regulation should not be confused with exclusion, adding that orderly migration was compatible with national sovereignty and effective governance.
Lumumba cited the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as an example of regional efforts to promote the movement of people, recalling that the organisation adopted its Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment in 1979.
He said the experience demonstrated that regional integration must be felt by ordinary citizens rather than remain an aspiration confined to presidents, government officials and trade institutions.
The scholar also argued that the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and its aspiration for an African passport should be treated as essential components of continental integration rather than ceremonial ambitions.
He said the success of the AfCFTA should be measured not only by the volume of goods traded or revenue generated but also by the opportunities available to ordinary Africans.
“The success of AfCFTA will ultimately be measured not only by tariff schedules, customs revenues or the volume of goods crossing our borders,” he said.
“It will also be measured by whether an African entrepreneur can see the continent as a market, whether an African professional can see it as a field of opportunity and whether an ordinary African can cross a border without immediately being transformed, in the minds of fellow Africans, from neighbour into threat.”
CAPTION: Members of The Bridge Club with guests at the end-of-the-year symposium of The Bridge Club Lagos on Xenophobia and Pan-Africanism on Thursday at the Continental Hotel, Lagos.
Lumumba called for improved documentation systems, mutual recognition of professional qualifications and clearer residence and work arrangements to facilitate lawful movement across the continent.
He urged African leaders to move beyond the rhetoric of continental unity and demonstrate greater political commitment to building an integrated economic space.
“We cannot build a single African market while maintaining 54 fortified mental markets,” he declared.
He said Africa must embrace a system in which goods, services, ideas, capital and people could move within an orderly legal framework if the continent hoped to compete effectively in the global economy.
Earlier, the President of The Bridge Club, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN), said the continued discrimination against Africans in other African countries represented a fundamental contradiction of the ideals of continental unity.
He said Pan-Africanism must be reflected in everyday conduct, institutional practices and the way African countries treat citizens of other African nations.
“How can we preach Pan-Africanism while tolerating attitudes and practices that diminish the humanity and dignity of fellow Africans?” he asked.
….Former Foreign Affairs Minister calls for stronger continental integration, warns against discrimination among Africans
By Adeko Ukpa
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has condemned the growing hostility against fellow Africans in parts of the continent, particularly South Africa.
He warned that xenophobia undermines the ideals of Pan-Africanism and threatens Africa’s collective future.
Tuggar said Africa could not genuinely pursue continental unity, economic integration and shared prosperity while citizens of one African country were subjected to discrimination, intimidation and violence in another.
He spoke at the 2026 end-of-year event of The Bridge Club, where he served as chairman of the occasion.
The event featured renowned Kenyan scholar and Pan-African advocate, Professor P.L.O. Lumumba, as keynote speaker.
L-R: The President of The Bridge Club Lagos, Mr. Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN); the Executive Secretary, TETFUND, Arc. Sonny Echono; the Chairman of the occasion and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; a special guest, Mr Brodericks Arigbodi; and the Keynote Speaker, Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba at the end-of-the-year symposium of the club on Xenophobia and Pan-Africanism on Thursday at the Continental Hotel, Lagos.
The former minister, who reflected on Nigeria’s historical involvement in the struggle against apartheid in Southern Africa, said the country had made enormous sacrifices to secure the liberation of African countries from racist minority rule.
He recalled how Nigeria provided scholarships and other assistance to victims of apartheid, including South African students who survived the 1976 Soweto massacre.
According to him, Nigeria’s solidarity extended to Namibia, Angola and other African countries struggling against colonialism and racial oppression.
He said Nigerians of his generation grew up believing in African liberation and unity, making the current hostility against Nigerians and other black Africans in South Africa particularly difficult to understand.
Tuggar said: “These are but a very few of the reasons why Nigerians cannot fathom why they and other black Africans are being targeted in South Africa.
“Call it Afrophobia, which may be a better description than xenophobia, as non-black Africans appear to be exempted, or the more euphemistic framing of anti-migration protests, it is wrong and must be condemned.”
He described the development as particularly unfortunate at a time when African countries should be strengthening cooperation to improve their economic and political standing in the international community.
Tuggar, however, argued that understanding the historical and structural factors behind the hostility was necessary to addressing the problem, stressing that historical context should not be mistaken for justification.
He traced some of the roots of institutionalised segregation in Africa to colonial policies and the apartheid system, arguing that their psychological and social consequences continued to influence relationships within African societies.
The former minister said the continent needed intellectual rigour, historical understanding and stronger institutions to confront prejudice and other attitudes that undermine African solidarity.
He also identified economic integration and industrial development as critical elements of genuine Pan-Africanism.
According to him, Africa cannot achieve meaningful development by remaining a supplier of raw materials to the rest of the world while importing finished products.
He cited the vision of Nigerian development economist Adebayo Adedeji and other African intellectuals who advocated manufacturing, regional integration and the development of an African Economic Community.
Tuggar said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offered an important opportunity to advance that vision by strengthening trade, industrialisation and the movement of goods and services across national borders.
He identified three important connections between economic integration and Pan-Africanism, including the need for free movement of labour as a foundation of an effective continental free trade system.
He said: “The path to Pan-Africanism is through the continental free trade area.
“As the father of capitalism, Adam Smith, once opined, the free circulation of labour is the foundation of any free trade system.”
Tuggar also expressed concern about the possible influence of external interests in fuelling anti-migrant sentiments, calling for greater scrutiny of organised anti-immigration campaigns and their sources of funding.
He warned that the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa remained too important to the continent’s future to be undermined by hostility and mutual suspicion.
He recalled South Africa’s support for Nigeria’s international engagements, including its efforts towards joining the Group of 20 (G20).
Earlier, President of The Bridge Club, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN), said the theme of the event, Xenophobia Contradicts Pan-Africanism, reflected the urgent need for Africans to reconcile their commitment to continental unity with their treatment of fellow Africans.
Mustapha said Pan-Africanism must go beyond political declarations, diplomatic conferences and economic agreements to become evident in people’s attitudes and conduct.
He asked: “How can we genuinely aspire to a united Africa when an African is made to feel unwelcome, unsafe or unwanted in another African country simply because of nationality, ethnicity or origin?”
He added that Africa’s prosperity, security and dignity were interconnected and could not be achieved sustainably at the expense of another African country.
Mustapha urged members of the club and other stakeholders to promote tolerance, mutual respect and understanding across national and cultural boundaries.
The event brought together professionals, business leaders, diplomats and other distinguished guests to discuss the future of African unity and the responsibilities of citizens in building a more inclusive continent.
By Adeko Ukpa
The 17th Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the French Republic, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, CFR has promised to recalibrate the ties between the two countries.
He also promised to give priorities to security, trade, and investment.
Oke unfolded his agenda while presenting his Letters of Credence to the French President, Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace in Paris.
CAPTION: The 17th Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the French Republic, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, CFR presenting his Letters of Credence to President Emmanuel at Élysée Palace on Monday. PHOTO: NIGERIA EMBASSY, PARIS
Envoy’s Priorities for France
A statement by the Nigerian Embassy in Paris said he pledged to uphold Nigeria’s values and reputation with clarity and credibility.
He said: “I am pleased to inform you that on 5 October 2026, I presented my Letters of Credence to President Emmanuel Macron and formally assumed my duties as the 17th Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the French Republic.
“The brief yet significant ceremony took place in the grandeur of the historic, iconic Élysée Palace, with its regal ambience.
“It underscored the compelling need to elevate and recalibrate the partnership between Nigeria and France.
“This means strengthening bilateral relations in security, trade, and investment, while upholding our values and reputation with clarity and credibility.
“It also means shaping conversations, securing advantages, protecting citizens, and promoting Nigeria’s national image.”
From Adeko Ukpa
Rotary International President-Elect, Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, has challenged Rotarians across the world to intensify membership growth and retention efforts, setting an ambitious target of 1.25 million Rotarians and 125,000 Rotaractors globally by 2030.
Babalola issued the charge while outlining his vision for the organisation, urging members to surpass previous achievements and strengthen Rotary’s capacity to create lasting impact in communities.
“As Larry said, we have a goal of 1.25 million Rotarians and 125,000 Rotaractors by 2030. Each new member represents a person who has not yet had their Rotary story. They are out there. And they are waiting for us to welcome them,” he said.
The incoming Rotary International President challenged clubs to exceed their historical performance in membership recruitment and retention.
“So here is my challenge to you: Look back at the last five to seven years in your club. Find your best year for membership growth and retention. Then do better than your best,” he declared.
CAPTION: L-R: The Incoming Rotary International President, Yinka Hakeem Babalola; the outgoing Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo; and the Rotary International President Nominee, Larry A. Lunsfor at a Meet-The- President session during the RI Convention Taipei, Taiwan
Babalola described Rotary as a transformative movement that changes lives through service, fellowship and leadership, urging members to share their personal experiences to attract new generations into the organisation.
“Every Rotary member has a story, a moment when fellowship and service stopped being what you did and became who you are,” he said.
“I want us to tell more stories about how Rotary has changed each and every one of us. Because when we do, we show the world that Rotary is more than a service organisation. It is a transformative experience.”
Drawing from his personal journey of more than 40 years in Rotary, Babalola recounted how a literacy project he participated in as a young Rotaractor shaped his lifelong commitment to service.
“My club took on a literacy project when I was a young Rotaractor. We were helping adults in my community learn to read and write. During that project, I watched a woman hold a piece of paper and read her own name for the first time.
“That moment redirected me. I was not simply a young man with opportunities anymore. I was a young man with a responsibility to extend those opportunities to others,” he said.
Babalola unveiled “Create Lasting Impact” as the theme that will guide his presidency, stressing that Rotary must focus on sustainable change rather than short-term achievements.
“In Rotary, we give members a place to belong. We help keep students in school. We organise vaccination campaigns that protect children. These results are real, and they matter deeply. But to create lasting impact asks a harder question: What happens next?” he said.
According to him, Rotary’s future growth must be anchored on meaningful service, peacebuilding and community transformation.
“Peace must be deliberately pursued. It must be built into the design of what we do, not assumed as a by-product,” he stated.
He cited Rotary’s peacebuilding efforts in Colombia as an example of how the organisation is helping communities recover from conflict through leadership development, economic empowerment and reconciliation initiatives.
Babalola also paid tribute to past Rotary leaders, particularly his late friend and mentor, SangKoo Yun, whose philosophy of leadership as “one link in a strong, unbroken chain” he said continues to inspire the organisation.
“Together, we are an unbroken chain, and to grow, we must forge new links in that chain,” he said.
As he prepares to assume office, Babalola called on Rotarians worldwide to seize the opportunity to expand Rotary’s reach and deepen its impact.
“This year is our turn to forge the next link in that chain. Our turn to be changed by Rotary. To build the future we wish to see. To pursue peace deliberately. To Create Lasting Impact — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves,” he said.
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