RE: EXIT BY THREE FRANCOPHONE COUNTRIES FROM ECOWAS: BLESSING IN DISGUISE TO NIGERIA BY RAHOOF BELLO

 

By: Comrade Abdul-Rahoof Bello-Làbẹ́làbẹ́

The exit by three Francophone countries from ECOWAS could be nothing but a positive development to Nigeria, at this point in time. Thus, the trio withdrawal was a political gambit, a miscalculation and a grave errors in diplomatic relations.

From regional perspective, one would be tempted to know the weight or influence of the membership of the existing countries in terms of financial and military contributions to the ECOWAS operations since establishment in May 1975?

A Yorùbá adage that: “Someone whose greetings cannot fill ones belly, can the absence of his/her greetings ignite any discomfort in ones stomach?” The trio seems to have over priced themselves in the regional Community.

Has Nigeria not the ‘Giant’ that has been making greater sacrifices and playing “Father Christmas” roles to the Community, majority members of which are ‘indigent’ economically?

Aren’t they aware that Nigeria is feeling the pangs and the pains of the heavy burden in terms of human and materials resources?.

Don’t get me wrong please! My ‘parasitic’ phraseology does not, by any stretch of imagination, suggests underestimation of their values to ECOWAS and Nigeria in particular in the global politics, from concentric-cycle foreign policy perspective. Rather, it was meant to deworm them of the arrogance and incivility of jackboots diplomacy deployed.

It should be noted that both in domestic and international politics, nothing is permanent but the *national interest* of your country and this should be the focus of Nigeria in the current scenario.

In this circumstance, it wouldn’t be out of place for Nigeria to cling glasses in celebration of the irrational decision by the Khaki boys in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, for chosen to have shot themselves in the foot by withdrawing from an organisation that has been curtailing foreign powers diplomatic onslaught against them.

To Nigeria, their self-exile from ECOWAS should be seen as positive development. It is a balm to our neck pains in the areas of economic and security stability.

These our exiting Francophone brothers have been greater beneficiaries of the ECOWAS ‘obnoxious’ protocols of ‘free movement of goods and people’, which open the floodgate of our borders to immigrants without any ‘valid documents’.

Under this guise, there has been massive movements dealers in small ammunitions and light weapons into Nigeria.

Security reports have confirmed that ‘illegal’ miners, armed bandits and kidnappers, are largely immigrants from Mali and Niger. The recent Ibadan bomb explosion with such massive devastation to lives and properties, was said to have been caused by one Alh. Sawane Youssouf, a Malian.

Ditto, immigrants from the Francophone countries at mining sites in Zamfara have also been fingered as masterminds of the killings in the State.

Where do you think the foreign Fulani herdsmen got the regular supply of their AK47 assault riffles, which they use to terrorise our local farmers?

Who do you think is responsible for the operations of ethnic cleansing in Southern Kaduna, Benue and Plateau States? You’re mistaken to look in the direction of our indigenous Fulani.

No! The culprits are no less the merciless immigrants from those Francophone countries. They got the ‘licence’ to kill innocent Nigerians under the ECOWAS *laissez faire* policy.

Against this backdrop, appeal should go to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the current ECOWAS Chairman, not to allow ECOWAS interest to override Nigeria’s national interest in the sub-regional politics.

It is understood that he should not preside over the dismemberment of the regional organisation but such persuasion should not be to the jeopardy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s national interest.

May Allah continue to guide Mr. President in the right direction.

 

*Comrade Bello, an APC Chieftain, writes from Ilorin.*
*Monday, January 29, 2024.*