L-R: Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc; Fatima Murtala Muhammed, Daugther of the Late Gen. Murtala Muhammed; Dr. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, CEO, Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF); Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Former Minister of External Affairs and Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) at MMF/NIIA Strategic Policy Workshop organised in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the death of Gen. Murtala Muhammed in Lagos.
African leaders have been urged to safeguard the continent’s sovereign autonomy and resist external domination, with a warning that failure to do so could leave Africa perpetually dependent despite its vast natural and human resources.
The call was made on Wednesday at a strategic policy workshop held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of former Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed. The workshop, themed “Has Africa Come of Age? Murtala Muhammed’s Pan-African Vision 50 Years After,” was jointly organised by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) and the NIIA.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of the NIIA, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, said Africa must reclaim its assertiveness on the global stage, stressing that the continent is no longer an appendage of global powers but an emerging force in a multipolar world.
Reflecting on General Murtala Muhammed’s historic declaration that “Africa has come of age,” delivered on January 11, 1976, at an extraordinary summit of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, Osaghae said the message remains relevant today. He argued that Africa must confront its challenges with home-grown solutions, noting that continued dependence on foreign aid would not yield sustainable development.
“When General Murtala said Africa had come of age, he was telling the world not to see Africa as an appendage or a copycat,” Osaghae said. “It was a declaration of strategic autonomy — that Africa must determine its own path, by Africans and for Africans. That is why African solutions to African problems still resonate today.”
In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, Dr. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, paid tribute to her father’s unwavering commitment to Pan-Africanism, noting that his leadership elevated Nigeria’s standing and strengthened Africa’s voice in global affairs.
She described General Muhammed as a central figure in Africa’s liberation struggle and said his famous assertion that “Africa has come of age” remains a powerful rallying cry for unity, independence and collective self-confidence.
According to her, the workshop was organised to inspire young Africans to pursue careers in diplomacy, governance and international development, with a view to addressing the continent’s persistent challenges.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor of Political Science and former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, described the late Head of State as “a man of several parts” who restored national pride and demonstrated uncommon commitment to governance.
Akinyemi said the theme of the workshop underscored the need for honest self-assessment as Africa navigates a rapidly changing global order.
“To say that Africa has come of age is not a declaration of perfection, but a recognition of responsibility,” he said. “Coming of age demands political maturity, economic resilience, strong institutions and cultural confidence. It also requires confronting unfinished business from independence and asserting Africa’s clarity and confidence in global affairs.”
Speaking during the panel session, the Deputy Director of Research at the NIIA, Dr. Joshua Bolarinwa, argued that Africa is yet to fully realise the vision of self-reliance and courageous leadership articulated by General Muhammed nearly five decades ago. He attributed this gap largely to leadership deficits across the continent, urging African leaders to take responsibility for defending the continent’s destiny with determination.
Similarly, the President of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Prof. Hassan Saliu, said both Nigeria and Africa have fallen short of fulfilling General Murtala Muhammed’s vision, particularly in the areas of sovereignty, unity, liberation and freedom as articulated in his Addis Ababa speech.
He noted that recommitting to those ideals remains critical if Africa is to truly come of age in the global arena.
