Lumumba Calls for African Unity and Mental Decolonization Amid Xenophobic Attacks

By Daniel Abia, P/Harcourt

Kenyan scholar and legal expert Prof. Patrick Lumumba has urged African nations to strengthen their unity as a means to curb xenophobic violence and achieve genuine continental independence.

Lumumba made his appeal amid a surge of xenophobic attacks in South Africa that have targeted foreign nationals, including Nigerians and others from across the continent.

He delivered 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 Conference Hall in the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Lumumba emphasized that Africa’s future hinges 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 also urged Africans to reconsider their identity and move beyond colonial legacies, adding that “to talk about our future, we must find out who we are and decolonise our minds.”

The title of Lumumba’s keynote was “Sustainable National Assets Protection in Africa: Opportunities, Risks and Regulatory Pathways.”

At the same event, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), called for greater investment in education as the foundation for national reorientation and sustainable development.

Speaking on the theme “Securing the Future,” Ogbuku said Nigeria must critically examine past mistakes 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 condemned rising corruption, attributing some societal vices to negative influences absorbed from modern media culture, and stressed 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 importance of adequately preparing 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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