The former President of Ghana, John Mahama, has urged African legal professionals to play a more active role in shaping the future of the continent.
Speaking at the 64th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos, Mahama emphasized the need for legal reforms, economic diversification, and youth empowerment to tackle Africa’s ongoing challenges.
Mahama highlighted the historical context of Africa’s post-colonial challenges and stressed the importance of addressing structural weaknesses, over-reliance on commodity exports, and underdevelopment of key sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.
He specifically pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a critical opportunity for the continent and stressed the need for legal professionals to ensure that this framework promotes trade while protecting the rights of workers and citizens.
Addressing the Nigerian context, Mahama drew parallels between the challenges facing Ghana and Nigeria, particularly in terms of public trust in democratic institutions.
He cited statistics from Ghana showing a decline in trust in the government, the economy, and democratic institutions.
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He urged legal professionals to empower Africa’s youth by advocating for educational reforms, promoting youth entrepreneurship, and ensuring that labour laws protect the rights of young workers in the digital economy.
Mahama also proposed the establishment of a Youth Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic to provide free legal services to young entrepreneurs.
He called on the legal community to embrace their role as custodians of the law and champions of Africa’s future.
During the event, former governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Bagudu, also urged African nations to change their perspective on the continent’s potential, viewing Africa as an opportunity rather than a problem.
He emphasized Africa’s vast landmass and population as significant assets that could lead to greater prosperity if properly utilized.
Bagudu pointed out that Africa’s landmass is 30.3 million square kilometres, compared to China’s 9.5 million square kilometres and India’s 3.28 million square kilometres.
He noted that Africa’s population of 1.5 billion rivals that of China and India, but highlighted the significant difference in economic output. While China’s GDP exceeds $18 trillion and India’s is around $3.28 trillion, Africa’s combined GDP is approximately the same as India’s, presenting a central challenge for the continent.
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He emphasized the significance of adequate resources in driving development, stating that every unit of organization requires a minimum of resources to be effective.
Bagudu also highlighted the unequal access to capital faced by African countries compared to northern hemisphere nations and called for a discourse on mobilizing greater capital for Africa, underscoring it as a crucial discussion for the continent.
Bagudu stressed the need for African countries to work together to generate the resources needed for sustainable development, drawing parallels with Nigeria’s efforts to join global alliances such as the G20 as steps in the right direction.
He reiterated that Africa must confront its realities and make necessary choices to put the continent on a sustainable development path.
Bagudu emphasized the importance of making choices that will set Africa on a sustainable course for development.
