The member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Barr. I. D. Gyang has charged emerging African Leaders to work to transit Africa out of poverty, illiteracy, hunger, want, conflict and humanitarian crises towards attaining economic growth and development.

He admonished them to learn from South Korea which moved from one of the poorest economies in 1960 to becoming one of the world leading Economies. He posited that Africa has no excuse.

He went further to say for a ‘New Africa’ to emerge, the emerging African Leaders must answer the call of destiny, become intolerant of the present decadence and become agents of transformation and positive change.

Barr. I. D. Gyang made those remarks while representing the Honourable Speaker House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara at the Universal Peace Federation Africa Summit 2018 which held in Dakar, Senegal from 17th to 20th January, 2018.

Below is the excerpt of his presentation made available to viewpoint:

BRIEF REMARKS BY REP. ISTIFANUS D. GYANG WHO REPRESENTED HIS EXCELLENCY RT HON YAKUBU DOGARA, SPEAKER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE UNIVERSAL PEACE FEDERATION AFRICA SUMMIT 2018 HELD IN DAKAR SENEGAL; JANUARY 17-20, 2018.

PROTOCOL & SALUTATION

It gives me great pleasure to stand in the behalf of His Excellency the Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria to convey his salutation and thoughts to this summit.

He expresses his personal regards and the goodwill of the Nigerian Parliament to the President of Senegal His Excellency Macky Sall and to Dr. Hak Ja Hanmoon founder, Universal Peace Federal for spearheading and hosting this summit the emergence of a NEW AFRICA which is the focus of this summit aligns with the aspirations and desire of Speaker Dogara.

Speaker Dogara wish to emphasize that the birthing of a NEW AFRICA is both a challenge and opportunity for EMERGING AFRICAN LEADERS.
Without prejudice to the commendable efforts of some past and present African Leaders, the major challenge of Africa largely remains that of Leadership.
Times were, when the backwardness and under development of Africa could be excused and attributed to slavery and colonialism as referenced to the scholarly work of WALTER RODNEY, “HOW EUROPE UNDER DEVELOPED AFRICA.

However, the days of such execuses are long gone, if as far back as 1976, the then Nigerian Head of State Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed could boldly assert at an OAU summit that, AFRICA HAS COME OF AGE

Howbeit, 42years after in 2018, Africa has not lived up to that declaration? This is what the emerging, new generation African Leaders must come to terms with!!

Speaker Dogara is glad that attendees at this summit most of whom are Parliamentarians, belong to the crop of the Emerging African Leaders who
must respond to the forceful and compelling postulation of AMILCA CABRAL when he said, “Each generation must out of obscurity discover its mission and either fulfill it or betray it

If our nations today are ravaged and characterized by insecurity and terrorism, failing economies, failing institutions, deplorable infrastructure, failing standards of education, inadequate health facilities etc, the result of this diagnosis is simply that of failed and failing Leadership!!

For a ‘New Africa’ to emerge, the emerging African Leaders must answer the call of destiny, become intolerant of the present decadence and become agents of transformation and positive change!

If South Korea can transit from being one of the poorest economies in 1960 to becoming one of the Leading world Economies, then Africa has no excuse!!

Where are the emerging African Leaders? There is that which ought to have been done that was left undone; which must NOW BE DONE to transit Africa out of poverty, illiteracy, hunger, want, conflict and humanitarian crises, to attaining economic growth and development.

The lot has fallen on our generation. We either fulfill it or betray destiny!!
In this regard, Speaker Dogara welcomes the coming on Board of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) as a global platform to engage the issues of transiting African Nations to economic transformation as well as Conflict Prevention and Peace Building.

Speaker Dogara assures the commitment of the Nigerian Parliament in becoming an active player under the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) initiative and dispensation.

Thank You

God bless IAPP!!
God bless Africa!!

Rep. I. D. Gyang was also bestowed with the prestigious award of AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE by the Universal Peace Federation at the Senegal Summit.

Rep. I. D. Gyang has proven to be an effective leader and effective Representative by leading the delegation of the House of representatives to the Summit.

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Rep. Barr. I. D. Gyang Represents Speaker at Universal Peace Federation Summit in Dakar Senegal, Bags Ambassador For Peace Award