President Vladimir Putin tell African leaders on Wednesday say Russia na their best partner, as e accuse wetin e call colonial West say dem still dey try exploit di continent resources and use debt to hold back development.

Putin dey talk at di third Russia-Africa Summit for Moscow, two-day event wey African leaders and government delegations from 48 countries attend, and e go hold one-on-one talks with many of di 22 individual African leaders wey attend on issues like trade, security, arms and grain.

Di event, wey dem first hold for 2019, na part of serious push for Russian political, economic and military influence for continent wey paramilitary fighters from Russia Africa Corps still dey active.

Russian state media and cultural institutions also dey try expand their footprint for Africa, and Russian state companies dey try expand their interests for areas from mining to power generation.

To woo African leaders and others from Global South also be part of Moscow strategy to counterbalance pressure on world stage from West over Russia war for Ukraine.
"Africa dey increasingly assert itself as one of di key players for global economy and politics," Putin talk.

"But, di emergence of multipolar world no easy task, of course; e dey face resistance from countries wey no ready to accept this reality: those wey don accustomed to dey think based on their colonial past and to dey enrich themselves well well."

Putin, wey Western critics accuse say e dey try use Africa colonial past for Moscow benefit, no name di countries wey e get for mind.

But e talk about wetin e call "active attempts by Western countries" to push Africans back into debt bondage and force dem to accept much-needed financial resources on predatory terms, wey e talk say dey slow their long-term development.