Tinubu heads to Lagos for ECOWAS 50th Anniversary Celebration

President Bola Tinubu is set to depart Abuja on Tuesday for Lagos, where he will join other regional leaders to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The golden jubilee celebrations, which officially began last month in Accra, Ghana, will continue with a series of symbolic and historic events in Lagos.

One of the highlights will be a re-enactment of the 1975 founding declaration of ECOWAS, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs on Victoria Island. This event aims to honor the legacy and vision that birthed the regional bloc five decades ago.

Later, at a special gathering at Eko Hotels and Suites, President Tinubu—who currently serves as Chairman of ECOWAS—is expected to deliver a keynote address.

The Chairman of the NIIA and former Minister of External Affairs, Bolaji Akinyemi, a professor, will review the bloc’s 50-year journey, which panellists at the NIIA will later analyse.

The only surviving Head of State who signed the ECOWAS declaration, Yakubu Gowon, will participate in all the ceremonies and deliver a speech at the Eko Hotels. Mr Gowon, a retired general, was the Nigerian leader between 1966 and 1975.

Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission, will deliver the welcome address.

While in Lagos, President Tinubu will, on Saturday, 31 May, commission some projects of the administration.

Among them are Section I of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Lekki Deep Sea Port Tax Credit Concrete Road, the flag-off of Section II of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, and the 7th Axial Road.

The president will virtually commission Kano-Kanwar-Danja-Hadejiya Section II Road and Yakasai-Zalli Road and flag off the Kano Northern By-pass, Zaria-Hunkuyi-Dabai Section I, Dabai-Kafur Malumfashi, and Malumfashi-Dayi-Yashe-Gidan Mutum Daya Section III.

President Tinubu will observe the Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the State House, Dodan Barracks, before returning to Abuja.