President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday, January 7, witnessed the swearing-in ceremony of John Dramani Mahama, the president-elect of Ghana.
TimesNow.com.ng reported that John Mahama, a former president, defeated the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on Saturday, December 7.
The Nigerian president who was a special guest at the occasion, delivered a speech celebrating Ghana’s democratic transition on Tuesday.
Dada Olusegun, revealed this in a statement shared on his X page on Tuesday.
Tinubu emphasized Africa’s ability to uplift itself through unity, resilience, and progress, calling for a stronger tie between Nigeria and Ghana.
The Nigerian president pledged support for Ghana’s new administration and called for collaboration to address regional challenges like poverty, unemployment, and instability.
Tinubu also called for renewed efforts towards sub-regional integration to combat challenges affecting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.
Read Tinubu’s full speech here:
REMARKS BY H.E. BOLA AHMED TINUBU, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE SWEARING-IN OF PRESIDENT JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA IN ACCRA JANUARY 7th, 2025.
PROTOCOL
It is always good when a friend and brother can visit the home of a close neighbour to celebrate his success and progress with him.
We celebrate African Democracy today as Ghana and her beloved people mark the transition from one democratic government to another. This moment does more than symbolise another milestone in the evolution of Ghanaian democratic society. It lays to bed the question of whether Ghana and Africa are capable of democratic and productive endeavours. Ghana has answered that question resoundingly. It is time that Africa’s critics stop forgetting the strides your nation, Nigeria and others have made by continuing to ask us to prove ourselves. We have nothing to prove to anyone except ourselves. We have found the critical path to our success. We shall lift our nations out of poverty and build a resilient economy at our own pace.
Today, I am here not only as the President of Nigeria but also as an African in resolute support for Ghana and her people. This moment is a source of pride and honour for you, the entire Continent, and its Diaspora.
The sun is out, and the sky says daylight, but I see today a Black star rising high in the African sky. This black star shines over this nation, and its rays spread across this Continent with a sense of shared history, hope, compassion, unity, and devotion to our common welfare.
While others may seek to demean Africa and keep brother pitted against brother, that shining star reminds us of who we are. Better yet, it reminds us of who we can be. That star means that we shall always strive to work together. Even when we disagree, we shall dialogue and discuss until we reach an agreement. Never, never shall we harm others and never allow any outsider to hurt us or disrupt the unity for which so many of our heroes gave their sweat, blood, and very lives to achieve.
The spirit of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, is here today, lifting that star higher and higher. Just as Ghana draws inspiration and a well of strength from Kwame Nkrumah and many of its past leaders, Nigeria similarly draws inspiration from its founding leaders who not only fought for her independence but also cherished the close relationship between our two nations.
May we always walk in the way and the spirit of these enlightened leaders.
Ghana is in harmony with that spirit, and President John Mahama’s inauguration today reflects that.
Your new president is a man of patriotic vision and substance. He loves his nation and its people to the core. He believes that your nation has a mission and intends for you all to fulfil it. No one can ask more of a leader than that.
