By Daniel Abia, P/Harcourt
Kenyan scholar and legal expert, Prof. Patrick Lumumba, has called for stronger unity among African nations as a pathway to ending xenophobic violence and achieving true continental independence.
Lumumba made the appeal against the backdrop of renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa targeting foreign nationals, including Nigerians and others across the continent.
Delivering a keynote address at the plenary session of the 2026 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association, Yenagoa Branch, held at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Conference Hall, Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Lumumba stressed that Africa’s future depends on unity, self-awareness, and institutional strengthening.
“We have a duty to secure our future, but we must start by being united. It is only in unity that we can protect our assets,” he said.
He further urged Africans to rethink their identity and break away from colonial legacies, adding that “to talk about our future, we must find out who we are and decolonise our minds.”
Lumumba’s keynote was titled “Sustainable National Assets Protection in Africa: Opportunities, Risks and Regulatory Pathways.”
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, called for increased investment in education as a foundation for national reorientation and sustainable development.
Speaking at the same event themed “Securing the Future,” Ogbuku said Nigeria must critically examine past mistakes in order to build a better future.
“In securing the future, we must also think of the past, because we have missed our way and there is a need to rediscover our purpose,” he said.
He also decried rising corruption, attributing some societal vices to negative influences absorbed from modern media culture, and emphasised the need for value-based education.
“We must invest in the right education for our children. Western culture has polluted our society, and only the right education can save our country,” he added.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who chaired the plenary session, also supported calls for education reform, stressing the need to adequately prepare young Nigerians for future challenges.
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawaie, described Lumumba as a strong advocate of good governance, accountability, and Pan-African development, while urging legal practitioners to uphold discipline and professional ethics.
The NBA Yenagoa Branch Chairman, Mr. Clement Kekemeke, also challenged lawyers to contribute more actively to national development beyond routine legal practice.
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