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The Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, has commended the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for what he described as his uncommon role in leadership for traditional governance in Ghana and Africa as a whole. He also lauded the Founder of the Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize (LAAP), Mr Ashim Morton, for his commitment to excellence on the continent. Mr Jonathan made the commendation in an addresss read on his behalf by his Vice-President, Mr Mamadi Sambo in Akwa Ibom State after accepting the LAAP for Leadership, National Cohesion and Stability. Otumfuo Osei Tutu was among 15 other laureates, including sportsmen, entrepreneurs and global leaders, to receive this year�s LAAP awards. The prestigious event was hosted by the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Godswill Akpabio, and was attended by captains of industry and academics from around the continent. The LAAP is an annual event organised to honour outstanding Africans who have made outstanding contributions to the development of Africa. President Jonathan acknowledged leading lights in the struggle for the independence of Africa, including Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Albert Luthuli, �and great advocates of Pan Africanism and African cohesion, a worthy ideology that I share�. �It is the same ideology that informs why Africa has continued to be the centrepiece of Nigeria's foreign policy,� he said. Pan Africanism must strengthen Africa He said Pan-Africanism in present times implied unity, cohesion and stability in Africa and was the strengthening of bonds for the continent�s collective survival as a people. �No matter how independent we may be as individual African states, the truth is: we are, indeed, more interdependent than we so often realise,� he said. He said Africa was now in a new era when the gains of its political independence must be translated into economic and social benefits for its people. �We must again lean on cooperation, collaboration and shared experiences as we battle the degrading ills of poverty, illiteracy and under-development. African Nations must at this time cooperate with one another in trade, cultural exchanges and diplomatic support as the challenges confronting us are the same,� he said. Mr Jonathan said Africa�s national boundaries must not limit its capacity to work for peace and development together. �Our given names must be identities for the defence of our collective interests in pursuit of a greater civilization, a civilization in which peace, equity, fairness and justice prevail for all,� he said. He said in the pursuit of peace, equity and justice in Nigeria, the country had to face challenges from time to time. �It is to God Almighty and the resilience of our people that we come out each time stronger, more cohesive and determined,� he noted. Nigeria and the Ebola fight On the Ebola virus which has claimed some 4,000 lives in West Africa, he said Nigeria had relied on its indomitable spirit to combat the outbreak by firmly uniting, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political affiliations.