Writing By Bello Wakili;Editing By Godwin Duru
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned the United Nations to reform or risk becoming irrelevant.
Speaking at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, President Tinubu represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima called for sweeping changes, including a permanent Security Council seat for Nigeria and Africa, a new global financial court to manage sovereign debt, and greater fairness in mineral wealth distribution.
The President criticised the UN’s slow response to conflicts, especially in the Middle East, describing the suffering in Palestine as a stain on collective humanity, insisting that a two-state solution remains the only dignified path to peace.
He also pushed for Africa’s critical minerals to be processed locally, insisting that raw material exports only fuel inequality and instability.
Tinubu argued that Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms, though tough on citizens, stand as a model for resilience and growth across Africa.
On terrorism, he stressed that ideological victory is more important than military conquest, warning that only values and ideas can win wars that span generations.
President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to peace, human rights, and multilateralism but cautioned that unless real reforms are made, the UN risks losing its place at the center of global decision-making.
Bello WaKili