Thursday May 29, 2025|
Leaders of Togo, Liberal and Guinea Bissau joined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday in Lagos to mark the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The only surviving founding father of the sub-regional organisation, Gen. Yakubu Gowon was the cynosure of all eyes at the ceremony held inside the same hall at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, on May 28, 1975.
Gowon, 90, was Nigeria’s military head of state between 1967 and 1975.
His government was overthrown in a bloodless coup barely two months after in July 1975.
The highlight of the ceremony were the African Union (AU) expressed solidarity with sub-regional body with a combine 400m people, was the cutting of the 50th anniversary cake.
Presidents Umaro Sissoco Embaló (Guinea Bissau), Joseph Nyumah Boakai (Liberia) and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo) were at the event.
President Tinubu described ECOWAS as a beckon of African unity.
He charged leaders in the sub-region on the need to implement policies and programmes agreed to for the good of the citizens of the community.
Tinubu hailed Gen. Gowon and other founding fathers of the sub-regional body describing them as “Wise men of West Africa”.
The celebration has as a theme: stronger together for a Brighter Future”
Tinubu said: “ECOWAS is a beacon of African unity in overcoming colonial policies and legacies. We brought together anglophone, francophone and lusophone countries.”
He expressed concern that member states are lagging behind in the area of implementation of policies and programmes.
He urged them to invest on the people, especially the women and youth.
Tinubu who is also ECOWAS Chairman said: “Despite our progress, challenges remain. Our greatest task now is implementation. We are lagging behind on implementation, and I urge all member states to match policy with action.
“Let us, our citizens, feel the real impact of our shared efforts. Our young people, our young people are women, who have, who form the majority, must be at the heart of ECOWAS development. We must invest deliberately in their education, entrepreneurial development, health care, and leadership.
“We must mentor them. Their success is the key to the future and stability, prosperity of ECOWAS.”
“For nearly 40 years, Nigeria has supported regional capacity building through technical aid control.
“We remain committed to deploy skilled professionals to ECOWAS countries, and we continue to honour every eligible request. I promise you.”
He added: “As we look forward to the next 50 years, let us renew our contact with one another with courage, clarity, respect, and determination.”
Recounting the beginning, General Gowon, said his interactions with fellow leader after Nigerian Civil war which ended in January, 1970 culminated in the formation of ECOWAS.
He recalled that he worked closely with former Togolese Present Gnassingbé Eyadema, the father of incumbent Togolese President Gnassingbé, who was present at yesterday’s event.
Gen. Gowon said: “The idea started soon after the civil war, when I went on a thank you visit to member States to thank them for their understanding and support, and was also engaged in entering into, similar bilateral agreement, with each President and Heads of State of the region then. But with General Gnassingbé Eyadema of Togo, we further discussed extending the idea beyond the bilateral level, to what is happening in some parts of the world e.g, in Europe, EEC, later EU, ECA in East Africa, Africa and Caribbean organization.
“We both agreed to get to work at it and got our respective Ministers of Economic and External Affairs to produce a working document for consideration. Prof. Adebayo Adedeji and Dr. Okoi Arikpo from Nigeria and Mr. Edem Kodjo and another from Togo and their staff set to work, getting other member States involved to produce a working document for consideration.”
He expressed his sadness over the withdrawal of the three-member countries -Burkina-Faso, Mali and Niger.
“ECOWAS was hopefully looking forward to a trouble-free peaceful golden jubilee this year, then the bombshell from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, withdrawing from the Community. This came as a great concern to the Community which curtailed its 50 years of existence. It is sad that the Community is Celebrating its Jubilee short of the 50 years as full original membership.”
“Although ECOWAS had to reluctantly let them go as they decided, it is commendable of the Commission still leaving the door open and also consider giving the group (AES) to be joint partner and for ECOWAS now to be ECOWASS – ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (and) SAHEL. It is still to maintain its original name and purpose.”
He however said despite the plight, there is reason to celebrate the milestone.
“But it is 50 years of the majority members of the Community and they should be duly Celebrated and let us say happy golden jubilee, ECOWAS”, he said.
Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President, ECOWAS Commission said, “Today, ECOWAS represents more than an Institution—it is a symbol of the enduring aspirations of over 400 million citizens.
He said: “In these five decades, our Community has made remarkable strides:
We have facilitated free movement across borders, allowing our people to travel,
trade, and connect without barriers. We have advanced intra-regional trade, implemented a Common External Tariff, and developed critical regional infrastructure, linking our capitals and markets. We have laid the groundwork for a single currency, built a regional electricity market, and extended digital connectivity across borders.
“We have stood together in the face of epidemics, insecurity, and natural disasters, offering humanitarian support and strengthening healthcare and food systems. We have invested in our most valuable resource—our people—by promoting gender equality, youth empowerment, and human capital development. We have upheld democracy, dispatched election observation missions, and deployed our Standby Force in defence of peace and regional stability.
“These achievements, while significant, are not merely chapters in our history. They are the building blocks of a future that we must continue to shape—together. The challenges we face today—terrorism, climate change, unconstitutional changes of government, poverty, and economic disparities—are formidable. But so too is our collective will.
“As I have often said, ECOWAS is better and stronger together as a Community. Our strength lies in our unity, in our shared identity, and in the spirit of solidarity that defines our Union.
“This 50th Anniversary is not only a moment for celebration, but it is also a moment for introspection, recalibration, and recommitment. Let us recommit to an ECOWAS of the People—where peace, prosperity, and justice are not just ideals, but lived realities.”
Mahmoud Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), commended ECOWAS for acting decisively as a guardian of peace and a builder of dialogue amidst regional challenges.
Represented by the Deputy Chairperson of the AUC, Selma Haddadi, Youssouf described the anniversary as a momentous milestone marking 50 years of perseverance, purpose, and progress in Africa’s collective journey.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar said that the anniversary is so important because “it reminds us of the vacuum that only common action and common purpose and common values can fill. The post-Cold War era is over: new divisions are emerging; technology is advancing at an extraordinary pace: the pressure on the old order is intense. It does not mean the arguments for multilateralism are diminished. On the contrary: we need ECOWAS more than ever to meet the challenge of unfiltered data, unregulated crypto currency, AI, climate change, organised crime, cyber-slavery and human trafficking and violent extremism. It is self-evident that institutions need to adapt to remain relevant. ECOWAS continues to move forward. It is our rich history and promise for the future.”
