Obasanjo, Gonsalves, Ramsey urge African unity, condemn visa restrictions

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and other prominent African and Caribbean figures have called for stronger unity across Africa, criticising visa restrictions that make it difficult for citizens to travel and engage with one another.

They made the call at the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) in Lagos, where discussions focused on Africa's shared history, slavery, colonialism, reparations and the need for stronger connections between the continent and its diaspora.

Obasanjo faulted African countries restricting visa-on-arrival arrangements for fellow Africans, describing the policies as contradictory to efforts to promote continental integration and economic cooperation.

He argued that Africans should be able to travel across the continent more easily, particularly when seeking trade and business opportunities.

The former president advocated visa-on-arrival arrangements or a common visa system for African countries, saying citizens should not have to obtain multiple visas to conduct business within the continent.

He also stressed that Africans shared a common history and interests, warning that divisions driven by greed and other considerations could undermine collective prosperity.

Obasanjo further criticised attempts to shift the blame for the transatlantic slave trade primarily to Africans, arguing that such narratives overlooked the role of European powers in organising and sustaining the trade.

He acknowledged that some African rulers and merchants participated in the trade but maintained that this should not distract from the responsibility of European powers, which supplied weapons, encouraged conflicts and transported enslaved Africans for economic gain.

The former president urged Africans to preserve the memory of the atrocities of slavery while recognising the need for genuine remorse and accountability.

Similarly, former Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, called for stronger ties between Africa and the Caribbean, describing their relationship as one shaped by shared history and cultural connections.

Gonsalves supported calls for reparations, describing them as an issue of international justice and a necessary response to the enduring consequences of slavery and colonialism.

He highlighted the Caribbean Community's (CARICOM) 10-point reparations plan, which includes formal apologies, improved healthcare and education, housing, poverty reduction, technology development, memorials and the return of stolen cultural artefacts.

The plan also proposes debt relief and financial compensation for the lasting effects of slavery and colonial exploitation.

Gonsalves maintained that reparations should be treated as a distinct framework for addressing historical injustices rather than as ordinary development assistance.

Also speaking, Jamaican scholar and Professor of Afro-Hispanic Literature and Culture, Paulette Ramsey, urged African governments to do more to preserve the continent's cultural heritage and protect the intellectual property of people of African descent.

Ramsey noted that African traditions, including folktales, proverbs and oral storytelling, had survived in different parts of the diaspora but required deliberate efforts to preserve and pass them on to younger generations.

She also called for stronger policies to protect African creative works and ensure that the continent's history and cultural traditions receive greater attention in educational curricula.

The discussions formed part of a broader call for Africans at home and abroad to recognise their shared heritage, strengthen cultural and economic ties and work collectively towards justice and development.