Lecture Delivered By Adetunberu Oludotun (PhD) At Training/ Workshop, Certification And Investiture Of The Institute of Global Peace and Conflict Management On 30th September. 2023. Lagos State, Nigeria.
- Preamble
Conflict, is a form of disagreement, or an adversarial relationship between two parties , group of Actors, State and Non State actors , Nation and Nation States , with long range of issues and challenges such as resources, power, cultural diversity, values , etc with incompatible goals and interests.
Conflict is like a shadow, and a twin opposite of peace . Anywhere there’s peace, conflict will move there and anywhere there’s conflict, peace will move there .
Conflict therefore, could be a searching tool for peace development because not all conflicts are negative, we equally have healthy conflict which brings development at the end, that’s why conflictologists are trained on conflict management or conflict handling styles.
Military intervention by the Niger Republic coupist and proposed military invasion by the ECOWAS body are mere calculated attempts by the Western nations and the Imperialists to cause unhealthy conflict in Africa most especially, West Africa for the purpose of their “economic interest” and “perpetual dominance” while I strongly believe that the ECOWAS Chairman”s threat to invade Niger Republic with standby force of the ECOWAS and cutting ties with the Niger Republic including other sanctions and pronouncements are mere strategic moves to confuse the mind of the Imperialists.
Aktan, (2023). Said, “Western States exerted extreme pressure on African countries in the post-colonial period, and cultural imperialism continued their oppression. Until recently, there was sole Western hegemony in African lands”. Then China, and Russia stepped in and gave a deceptive impression to African countries in seeking a balance.
Conflict is as old as creation of human activities by God, right from the peaceful garden of Eden, serpent sold the spirit of disobedience and the Creator of mankind pronounced certain curses on man( Adam and Eve) and ever since man has been struggling to make ends meet, the first seed of creature (Cain and Abel) inherited hatred, envy, while conflict sets in-between them, leading to killings of one another. This is apart from the egoistic tendencies exhibited by certain angel whom out of pride and arrogance disunited the committee of angels and were violently sent out to the planet earth to cause conflict among creatures.(Romans, 5vs12, Isaiah 14vs 12)
By my own understanding and assessment, military government is worse. They are unquestionable and unapproachable to the people. Military regime comes with suspension of the constitution, subversion of institutions, absence of rule of law, absence of democratic choices, absence of freedom of press and freedom of speech and repression.
They hardly perform better than the civilians. Military coups and military regimes are rare in countries with Presidential term limits and rampant in nations without term limits.
Africans are being fed with sour part of democracy aided by bad leadership and bad governance hence , the mystery and epidemic of coups in Africa. Therefore, if we must blame the hawk for being wicked, we should equally scold mother hen for exposing her children. It is unfortunate that we are practicing a wrong system of democracy in Africa which is characterized by corruption and greed ,
non-adherence to the constitution, personalisation of the state wealth and positions, weakening/destruction of institutions, absence of democratic choices .
Corrupt politicians steals and loot thier nation’s resources, in collaboration with the Western nations, hide under the shadow of democracy to initiate policies and divert the wealth of their people, perpetuate themselves in offices, leaving their people to suffer in abject poverty.
- Deconflicting the Conflict
There’s need to review the root causes, examine the underlying factors, the immediate causes of the conflict in Africa, West Africa. Understand the role of ECOWAS body and Africa Union in the present day and investigate the motives of the Imperialists, the West and the China-Russia involvement before analysing and evaluating the conflict towards providing a way out of the crisis because the price of peace is cheaper to the cost of war.
- Why Niger Republic
Going by the topic of discourse, I became agitated and more agitated, on WHY NIGER REPUBLIC? January, 2022, there was a coup d’etat in Burkina Faso, April , 2021 another coup d’etat in Chad , also on August, 2022 there was a coup in Mali and no such noise as this, no military invasion threat by ECOWAS, or Africa Union and I ask myself, WHY NIGER REPUBLIC? Even Sudan had their own share in October 2021, while I was thinking of what to write on this topic another coup d’etat took place on 26th August, 2023 in Gabon and Africa Union is not raising their voices and I asked myself, WHY NIGER REPUBLIC?
Niger Republic has a border with about five or more countries such as Chad, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Benin Republic and Mali meanwhile, Chad is not a member of ECOWAS.
America and French has military base in Niger Republic, Niger Republic has the largest and richest Uranium deposits in Africa, China has a very strong investment in Niger Republic, In June 2008, China National Petroleum Corporation, CNPC, and Niger Republic signed integrated upstream and downstream deals in Agadem block which resulted in the building of SORAZ refinery.
Whereas, the Buhari government had caused the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, to sign the MoU with Niger Republic for petroleum products importation. The Chinese are all in the nooks and crannies of Africa, minnig Africa resources legally and illegally, they are mining gold presently in Osun, Zamfara, Sokoto , Plateau States just think of anywhere there’s banditry, they are there looting and you ask yourself who is behind terrorism in Africa, and think of their collaborators pleading amnesty for the bandits, this is to have a better understanding of how our leaders, the elites collaborates with other advanced nationals to cause crime in their home States.
The coup in Niger Republic was staged by Protective Presidential Guards, led by a General who hailed from the same area with former President Bazoum without a shed of blood .
Niger Republic, despite all these foreign interests , is a failed State, the only State that spends Nigeria currency for economic transactions, Niger Republic shared border with about six States in Nigeria.
The underlying factors are beyond matters of Niger Republic and Nigeria or military takeover or enforcement of civilian rule. Niger Republic’s population is an estimate of about 27,294,785 not up Kano State, Lagos State while the population of Niamey the capital city of Niger Republic is less than 1, 437, 023 and this is not up to Alimosho Local Government in Lagos State. What is the strength and capacity of their military? ECOWAS should not flex unnecessary muscle with them.
Any form of military invasion will be catastrophe because Nigeria has a greater stake in ECOWAS and a war against Niger as being proposed is a war between Federal Republic of Nigeria and Niger Republic. With terrorism, pockets of insurgency and banditry which may snowball into full blown war if not properly managed.
ECOWAS Chairman is a democrat that believes in dialogue, a progressive minded comrade and agitator of good governance who understands diplomatic channels of operations and knows the implications of going to war with a neighboring country that shared the same culture, a lengthy border of more than a thousand and six hundred kilometers, between Maradi and Jibia in Kastina, Zinder and Daura, linked with Maitagari, Babura Jigawa, between Difa and Borno , Yobe , Taohua and Sokoto, Dosso and Kebi with almost seven States in the Northern part of Nigeria.
Therefore there should be application of Aquinas theory of “Just War” jus ad bellum, jus in bello, and jus post bellum, there be conflict analysis, justification for the war must be established, what is going to be the gain?, what will be the rule of engagement? also critical analysis of the root cause or causes , conflict management and conflict handling style approaches and implications before taking the decision on military invasion of Niger Republic.
I strongly believe that President Bola Tinubu is so smart enough to have removed himself from the equation.
Before you ask me the question on how President Bola Tinubu who doubled as the ECOWAS Chairman played himself out of the equation, you should understand that,
Tinubu does not enjoy absolute support from the Western nations in becoming the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but he managed himself throughout the campaign period to avoid any ungoverned utterances very unlike late Chief M.K.O who revealed his action plans before becoming the President of Nigeria, anyone that has a determined mind to expose Africa to the crimes being committed by the Western nations will not be President and this is applicable to all other nation States in Africa and by extension West Africa, this accounted for why they prepared poisonous tea for MKO Abiola and got him killed while they continue to install indirectly and keep perpetrating weak leaders in office because of economic resources and political dominance.
I have once and severally criticized the idea of our leaders presenting their manifestos at CHATHAM HOUSE , it is a sign that they decide who governs us but we keep deceiving ourselves on the election day believing that it is our collective WILL, emerged leaders are already pre determined through the party political structures handed over to us by our leaders. But the France approaches to their colonies seem more direct , different unlike the West that inflict unbearable pain through IMF and World bank policies, this is why the revolt is becoming more violent in West Africa and pronounced in francophone countries.
President Bola Tinubu immediately after becoming Nigerian President, was made to become the ECOWAS Chairman by design , simply because of the problems being envisaged by the Western nations, The fact that Tinubu threatened coup plotters in ECOWAS region on his assumption of office was an indicator to something, behold yea, eventually the Niger Republic Presidential Protective Guards struck.
While his actions and body language will determine his loyalty, therefore, his subsequent pronouncement cutting ties with Niger Republic as the ECOWAS Chairman was a test of loyalty or else they will use the opposition in Nigeria and Judiciary to truncate his desire to salvage Nigeria from their perpetual dominance. A process that was against Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief M.K.O Abiola.
It should also be noted that Northern Nigerians are the most beneficiaries of the colonial administration and trusted allies of the British colonialism judging by the available historical facts therefore, President Tinubu has succeeded in shifting the focus to the Northern Nigeria and the British to agree on wether to use force or not .
The question now is how will the Northern Nigeria agree with the Imperialists to embark on this war? when they shared many interests such as economic interest, a situation where you bake bread in Nigeria to sell in Niger Republic, shared political interest and social cultural interest because of inter marriages . The decision is left to them. However, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has rescued the ECOWAS Chairman by totally rejecting the use of military force and the decision to go to war remains with the Northern Nigeria and not President Tinubu.
The position of the Constitution about the process involved in deployment of troops to fight war outside Nigeria needs the approval of the National Assembly.
Section 5 sub-sections 4 and 5 of the 1999 Constitution
The Senate and the House of Representatives has the final say, and the only institution that can go further on this has the Northerners as Minister of Defence and State Minister of Defence.
Tinubu knows that Northern Senators will stop the move with appropriate powers as enshrined in the constitution. Fifty percent of the northern politicians have their second home in Niger Republic. Remember the former President, General Buhari jokingly said that if Nigerians keeps disturbing him after handing over, he promised to relocate to Niger Republic. It is an extension of Northern Nigeria. Fortunately and unfortunately too, President Tinubu has constituted his cabinet and subsequently appointed Badaru and Matallewa as Defence Ministers and State Minister of Defence respectively. They are from the boundary states to Niger Republic.
- Role of ECOWAS in West Africa
The 15 members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Eight of them are francophone countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. While five of the countries are anglophone: Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone
The main goal of ECOWAS is to promote economic cooperation among member states in order to raise living standards and promote economic development.
ECOWAS has also worked to address some security issues by developing a peacekeeping force for conflicts in the region.
ECOWAS established its free trade area in 1990 and adopted a common external tariff in January 2015.
The 15-nation group was first set up in 1975 to promote economic development among its members, it has since stepped in conflicts from Sierra Leone to Mali.
Of those, four countries have been suspended or sanctioned following military coups: Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and most recently Niger Republic.
On military interventions,
ECOWAS played key political roles during the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone. It played a key role in bringing peace to Liberia in 1997.
ECOWAS also intervened in Guinea-Bissau during the armed rebellion in 1998-99 and after the coup in 2012.
In 2003 it weighed in in Ivory Coast after a rebellion and a decade later in Mali to help Bamako to retake control of the north which fell into the hands of jihadists.
In Gambia in 2017 it intervened when outgoing president Yahya Jammeh, who had lost elections, refused to step down.
05 Root Causes of Conflict in Africa, and West Africa
This could be traced to the pre colonial and colonia era. I read a book in secondary school days, in Christ’s School, literature book titled Ovaronwen Nogbaisi, where he said that the major interest of the colonialists in Africa is for “commercial exploit” purposes.
06 Brief History of the Colonial Conspiracy Against Africa Nations
Many scholars have researched on causes of conflict in Africa and I am currently reviewing literature on Military Incursion, Ethnic Hostilities and Illegal Exploitation of Natural and Mineral Resources in West Africa; Assessing the Involvement of the European Countries .
the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South African Republic and the Orange Free State) over the Empire’s influence in Southern Africa from 1899 to 1902.
Following the discovery of gold deposits in the Boer republics. This must have resulted to the Berlin conspiracy to partition or share Africa.
“The colonisation of Africa was part of a global European process reaching all the continents of the world. European colonisation and domination changed the world dramatically.” Historians argued that the rushed imperial conquest of the African continent by the European powers started with King Leopold II of Belgium when he involved European powers to secure recognition in Belgium.”
“The Scramble for Africa took place during 1881 and 1914. Due to worldwide insufficiency of world knowledge, the size, abilities and capabilities of Africa as a continent was majorly undermined.
The Berlin Conference or “conspiracy” of Berlin and British also known as the “Congo conference” began. In 1884 at the request of Portugal, German Chancellor Otto Von Bismark who called together the major western powers of the world to negotiate and harmonize and end confusion over the control of Africa. The countries represented at the time of this conspiracy included Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway, Turkey, and the United States of America. Of these fourteen nations, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Portugal were the major players in the conference, controlling Africa continent at the time. Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Spain were competing for power within European power politics.
Europeans saw the colonization of Africa as an opportunity to acquire a surplus population, thus settler colonies were created. With this invasion, many European countries saw Africa as being available to their disposal. However, several disputes took place regarding which European country would colonize a specific African country. Thus, in 1884, Portugal proposed a conference in which 14 European countries would meet in Berlin regarding the division of Africa, without the presence or knowledge of Africans
Many parts of West Africa was still unknown to the rest of the world , thus by the late 15th century and early 16th century, many European nations like the Portugal started to send Portuguese missionaries and geologists to investigate various parts of Africa and West Africa in particular for possible prospects. They brought or imported christianity to loot our resources.
“The core reasons for African colonisation were mainly for economic prospects political dominance and religious”. During this time of colonisation, an economic depression was occurring in Europe, and powerful countries such as Germany, France, and Great Britain, were losing money. Africa seemed to be the way and had an abundance of raw mineral and natural resources from which Europe could make money from. Due to cheap labour of Africans, Europeans easily acquired products like oil, ivory, rubber, palm oil, wood, cotton and gum. These products became of greater significance due to the emergence of the industrial revolution. Africa’s colonisation was also as a result of European rivalries, where Britain and France had been in a dispute since the hundred year’s war. These countries became involved in a race to acquire more territory on the African continent, but this race was open to all European countries
During the nineteenth century barely a year went by without a European expedition into Africa. The boom in exploitation and exploration was triggered to a great extent by the creation of the African Association by wealthy elites in 1788, and as they travelled, they started to record details of markets, goods, and resources for the wealthy philanthropists who financed their trips. With the beginning of colonisation in Africa, morality became an increasing issue.
Missionaries began to focus on the large working class with the goal of bringing spiritual salvation to the workers and their families. The bible was made available to workers. Due to their large successes, missionaries began to look beyond Europe. Missions were established all over Africa. Missionaries did not serve as direct agents of European imperialism, yet they drew European governments deeper into Africa. In their efforts to preach Christianity, to bring western-style education to Africa and to ingrain monogamy in African societies, missionaries often felt threatened by warfare within Africa. Hence, missionaries called on European governments for protection and intervention. Secondly, for centuries, European geologists have travelled throughout the African continent in their attempts to discover new resources.
By 1900 a significant part of Africa had been colonized and shared by mainly seven European powers—Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. After the conquest of African decentralized and centralized states, the European powers set about establishing colonial state systems. The colonial States was the machinery of administrative domination established to facilitate effective control and exploitation of the colonized societies. Colonial States were authoritarian, bureaucratic systems, partly due to their origins in military conquest and the racist ideology of the imperialist enterprise. The French directed their attention to the active economies of the Niger Delta, the Lagos Hinterland and the Gold Coast.
It is important to note that the European countries were able to colonize African countries rapidly because there were rivalries between African leaders. These kings and chiefs were competing with each other to be the richest and most powerful within their tribes. During these rivalries, European leaders would take advantage of the rivalry competitive situation anong the traditional rulers and persuaded some leaders to be on their side to fight against other leaders. Natural disasters also played a big role in the rapid and easy colonisation of Africa. In 1895, a serious drought reached many regions in Africa which was caused by a sudden decline in rainfall.
European powers could easily take control of any source of land by using force and violence. They accomplished this by using more powerful weapons, and had the advantage of the newly invented machine gun called the Maxim gun which was invented in the 1880’s. This gun could fire eleven bullets per second, and outdid the weapons that the African forces had. African armies did not manage to get hold of European weapons because it was not sold to them. Thus Africans were at a military disadvantage.
The impact that colonisation had on Africa can be described as both good and bad. Colonial governments lacked capacity and the Colonial governments practiced “divide and rule.” Firstly, colonial governments did not allow popular participation, and all political decisions were made by the small political elites with no or little input from the African population. Secondly, the African population was not contented or satisfied with the way Europeans imposed on their governing system without any proper representation, thus the maintenance of peace under the African population was made an important priority for the colonial government. Additionally, most colonial governments were not rich, they did not fund the governing of their colonies fully. Although they were responsible for raising the money for their own colonies, they still lacked the in come to properly develop and maintain a successful governing system.
West Africa with sixteen countries is the cradle of military coups and governmental instability totaling 44 coups in 50 years of independence. Kokouo (2013).
The historical event and analysis is necessary and it should be on record that the Western nation has dollarized the economy of the world and this is another underlying factor responsible for all these conflicts .
To allow the British own Nigeria, They had to divide Yoruba territory into two jurisdictions. One is a French speaking part of Togo/Benin.
Hausa/Fulani territories was also partitioned into two jurisdictions.
The French returned in the 20th century to further partitioning Nigeria by giving oil rich BAKASSI Peninsula to Cameroon using the International Court of Justice and President Obasanjo.
The French may return in the future to further partition Nigeria for economy interest and probably claim Lagos or Oyo state as part of Benin Republic if we fail to act.
Nigeria is just a British enterprise, and France is one of the Board of Directors.
Russia, the new sherif in town, has realised that the uninterrupted exploitation and continued mining of Africa raw materials illegal or legally is the bedrock of France and Europe economy. The mission is to cut it off to bring France/Europe to economic ruins.
This approach is likely to force the West to negotiate with Russia because the West needs Africa more than Africa needs the West. It therefore baffles me when our leaders keeps junketing the globe searching for investors .
Nigerians can better understanding why the colonial rulers directed that history be removed from our curriculum.
07 The Immediate Causes of the Conflict in Africa and West Africa
It is known fact that the Western nation’s interest has been causing all these agitations and the better we tell ourselves the bitter truth. My late lecturer who taught me Geology at 100 level in the then OSUA now EKSU in 1994 mentioned in a class that apart from crude oil deposit in Niger Delta, we have a Gas Chamber that will last the unborn generation, may the soul of Dr Fadipe rest in perfect peace.
I became agitated about this message, “GAS Chamber” and because of this I was so happy to carry out my National Youth Service assignment in Niger Delta and even lectured at University of Porthacourt , Geology Department under the headship of Prof Etu Effe-otor . It was my one year service that broadened my knowledge on the gas deposit in the Niger Delta and why the gas is becoming a source of conflict.
Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project to Connect European Union
Nigeria is laying a gas pipeline from Niger Delta, to the Northern Nigeria up to the Europe through the Niger Republic and Algeria the gas pipeline is estimated to be about 4, 128 km in length.
June 2022, to be precise, the ministers of energy representing Algeria, Niger, and Nigeria renewed a decades-old project to construct a gas pipeline spanning 4,128 km of which 1,037 km are in Nigeria, 841 km in Niger and 2,310 km in Algeria, will connect the gas fields of Nigeria, through Niger Republic, to the Algerian border to connect to the Algerian network. The TSGP will also allow on its way the supply of the regions of the Sahel countries.
“The pipeline will start from the Warri hydrocarbon field region in Nigeria and run north through Niger Republic to Hassi R’Mel in Algeria. In Hassi R’Mel the pipeline will connect to the existing Trans-Mediterranean, Maghreb–Europe, Medgaz and Galsi pipelines.”
This was conceived in the 1970s, with the project agreement preparations in 2002, subsequent developments in 2005, 2006, and 2009, when the project stalled.
ITA, (2022). Despite skepticism from international energy experts that African natural gas will flow through a trans-Saharan pipeline anytime soon, the project may become a reality “following subsequent European natural gas supply shortages resulting from the halting flow of Russian-European gas”
Europe is focusing on Nigeria gas after abandoning Russia supply of gas. Whereas, this is affecting the economy of Russia and they are determined to frustrate any attempt to bypass their gas flow to Europe, hence , any attempt to resuscitate Africa gas deal will be frustrated directly or indirectly. This gives a possible opinion on why I said earlier that the Russian – Ukraine conflict is creeping into Africa.
Think about this , there was coup in Mali, Burkina Faso, Sudan , Chad with no threat to democracy but the Niger Republic coup has become a global issue whereas, Nigeriens were happy and supported the coup.
Meanwhile, there’s West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) which is a 678-kilometre gas pipeline that delivers gas in Nigeria’s Niger Delta to markets in Benin, Togo and Ghana, ending in the port city of Takora, Ghana.
The pipeline is owned by West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAGPCo), a consortium of Chevron (36.7%), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (25%), Royal Dutch Shell (18%), Volta River Authority of Ghana (16.3%), Société Togolaise de Gaz (SoToGaz – 2%) and Société Beninoise de Gaz S.A. Don’t forget that these same names dominated our crude oil exploitation and exploration. They directly serves the interests of the West .
Countries with the longest network of oil and gas pipelines include:
United States – Oil: 91,067km (56,587 miles); Gas: 333,366km (207,145 miles)
Russia – Oil: 38,419km (23,872 miles); Gas: 92,831km (57,683 miles)
Canada – Oil: 23,361km (14,516 miles); Gas: 84,682km (52,619 miles
This is a simple evidence that the Ukraine – Russian conflict is creeping into Africa and if not well managed , it may trigger into WW-3.
08 Another cause of the conflict in Africa and West Africa by extension could be linked to the economy of the world, dollarised as evidence in how businesses and trade in the international arena are conducted.
The dollar is the most widely used currency, and as such, most of these deals in the international arena are settled in the U.S. dollars.
The United States dollars is under threat because of the conspiracy behind formation of BRICS, dollar will not be phased out by the emergence of new and competitive alternatives, but it will definitely not strengthen the dollars. Russia has the biggest economy in Europe. China is the largest economy of the world. Saudi is one of the largest oil producing countries, and they’re all BRICS members.
The unipolarity of the system with respect to international trade dictates that the US achieves more economic growth and positivity, especially when there is a boom in the oil producing sector. Petroldollar enjoys a comfortable monopoly in this unipolar order as the status quo keeps the US in business while there are growing challenges in other nations’ economies.
A multipolar order will not necessarily be the end of petroldollar, but it will definitely reduce a single country ‘unfair’ dominance in the international system, thereby opening the door to a healthy competition between and among political entities.
09 Identified Challenges of the ECOWAS
- Language Barrier;
Language barrier was the conflicting strategy used by God to disorganize the Israelites when they attempted building the tower of babel , God saw the determination and WILL in their unity and subsequently introduced language barrier which finally brought confusion and disunity and because of this their desire became unachievable, the Imperialists, westerners , our slave masters during the Berlin conspiracies to share Africa continent among themselves borrowed the idea and divided Africa with language barrier, cultural diversity and politics of divide and rule in other to achieve their objective of illegal smuggling of mineral resources in Africa. (Gen.11 vs 17)
- Corruption,Greed and Sit Tight Syndrome.
It so unfortunate that some leaders in West Africa Nations are perpetually perpetrating themselves in offices while the ECOWAS body failed to address this.
Many of the Africa leaders have been holding offices for many years as a result of greed and corruption.
For instance,
- Paul Biya of Cameroon is about 87 years old and has been in office as President since 1982. . He was Prime Minister from 1975 to 1982.
Faire Gnassingbe of Republic of Togo has been in office since 2005
- Alhassan Quatara of Ivory Coast and Alpha Conde of Guinea both gunned for third term in office.
There is a two-term limit for the President in the new 2016 Constitution of Ivory Coast. This limit has been lifted for Alassane Ouattara, allowing him to run for third and fourth terms.
Alpha Condé served as the fourth President of Guinea from 2010 to 2021.
- The proposed ECO currency has been jettisoned.
- West Africa lacks good and productive leaders who could engage in problem solving right from the pre colonial era, colonial period and after the colonial rule till this present day.
10 Suggested Ways Forward
- ECOWAS should review possibility of removing economic, political and linguistic barriers to trade in West Africa countries.
- ECOWAS should review ECO, the single currency that its members were due to adopt in 2020, which is probably dead .
- ECOWAS should adopt the 1993 statute formally giving it responsibility in the prevention and settlement of regional conflicts.
- ECOWAS should review the tradition of tenure elongation by selfish leaders within the ECOWAS body .
- ECOWAS should understudy and review the economic policies of the West, the divide and rule strategies among the West Africa countries that distract them from having a common position on the development of West Africa and Africa at large.
- The tenure of office of the ECOWAS Chairman should be reviewed to strengthen policy and grow policy formulated
Note; References are made available on request.
Asiwaju Oludotun Adetunberu (Ph.D. Peace and Security Studies).FiCSS, Dr-FiGPCM, *PSCS, PCPC
