The Chancellor of Covenant University, Bishop David Oyedepo, has called on African countries to rely more on indigenous knowledge, local resources and homegrown innovations to tackle the continent’s development challenges.
Oyedepo made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, November 2, 2026, in Ota, Ogun State.
He said African nations must reduce their excessive dependence on foreign assistance and take greater responsibility for addressing problems within their borders.
According to him, people and communities have the capacity to develop solutions to the challenges they face, regardless of where they are located.
Oyedepo also argued that Africa’s slow development was not due to the race of its people but, in his view, a failure to recognise and maximise the continent’s potential.
He identified what he described as a passive attitude towards challenges as one of the factors limiting progress, urging Africans to embrace proactive thinking, innovation and responsibility.
The cleric further stressed that national development depends on meaningful contributions from individuals and institutions within each country.
He called on African leaders and citizens to harness local expertise and available resources to promote sustainable development and reduce reliance on external solutions.
