Category: Features

By Chief Dr Ayodele Adeyemo

Flowerbudnews/:  Mondays are unique, especially in this part of the world, where we rigidly regard days for special activities such as days for business, social events, and rest. Of all days, Monday is loaded with seriousness and freshness, and as the enigmatic Afro musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti sang, it is a day of huzzling in Fela’s words, “Eko, ko ni gba igbakugba lojo monde” simply translated, “no nonsense in Lagos on Monday.” You can then imagine receiving such a call at 7.00 am. on the demise of a bosom friend. That was it on Monday, February 5, 2024, when a mutual friend between him and I, Alhaji Olohunde Hassan broke the news of the passing on of OLUMIDE LAWAL a.k.a Castro, a renowned journalist and publicist with a call all the way from Lagos. Torrents of questions were fired to Hassan, who immediately understanding my frame of mind, changed his information dissemination pattern by saying he just wanted to confirm from me what happened to Olumide since he knew that I and some other friends are together in Ede. In cutting off his phone, he just said, “Chief, I will confirm and call you back.” Definitely, his information was real and complete. Castro has gone away without bidding anyone, friends, colleagues, and most importantly, his immediate and large family farewell.

Many cognomens and imaginary features have been given to Death. The simplest and most descriptive is “separator.” Death does that perfectly in separating human earthly relationships without a blink. That was how it was on the day our friend Olumide was called by his maker. AbdulLatif Olumide Lawal a.k.a Castro breathed his last and left the stage in the evening of Sunday, February 4, 2024, after some 72 eventful years on earth.

Olumide Lawal was born in Ailaka Compound in Ede, precisely on January 11, 1952, to Pa AbdulWahab Iyanda Lawal and Madam Rafatu Ayoka both of blessed memory . AbdulLatif Olumide was raised by his late paternal grandmother, Alhaja Sinatu Abegbe. Young AbdulLatif was a pet to Mama Sinatu to the effect that she was usually called IYA LATI .

As a journalist, Olumide caught his teeth in Radio Nigeria, Ibadan, and traversed virtually all aspects of functional media, electronic, print, and social media, including public relations, biography writing and personality promotions. He was a versatile feature writer on events, places, and personalities. As a wordsmith, OLUMIDE was a master of the art. He was an avid reader with so many books in his library. If he knew you as that kind of a genre of a human being, you automatically become Olumide’s paddy.

Olumide was different things to different people. This is human and not in any way strange. To some people, he was perceived as easily prone to anger but not quarrelsome. To many, he was gentle and would want to remain discreet with his personal challenges and efforts. However, the common denominator by whoever came across Olumide is that he could be unbelievably generous and kind.

Olumide is unquestionably an unrepentant Ede Patriot, a well-known feature writer on Ede sons and daughters. He would never compromise the perceived interests of the ancient town. On this towering virtue, a friend of his, Bayo Adediran says: “Alhaji Olumide brandished the pen as truly mightier than the sword during his lifetime as he delighted in confronting not only the government but also any person at all, that tried to cast aspersions on Edeland and her illustrious sons and daughters. In this area, he had no rival as he did not care whose ox was gored in his stout defence of his cradle, Edeland, and fellow compatriots of the ancient city.”

For those who looked at him from far prisms, Olumide could be mistakenly taken as tempramental. He also was aware of this perception of him. At times, people found his articles very vitriolic, especially on the issues that concern Ede interests. As a man of principle, he explained himself in one of his many public-spirited articles where he said: “That was my love for Edeland. I leave the rest to posterity.” Hummnn!!

A very childhood friend of Olumide is Elder Adedayo Adeoye, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)) who, on hearing his death, was lividly shaken. It took him hours to fathom the shocking news. As expected, Adeoye DIG Rtd took the loss of a bosom friend with christian equanimity: “On the death of mine childhood mate, I say to God be the glory. He takes us at His will. Who are we to question Him? To Abdul Lateef, you told me and Alhaji Mumini Salam when we visited you that you would soon be at home. Is this the home you promised? No! I am at a loss to believe that you have departed this sinful world.”

In another tribute by High Chief Tunji Lawal, Babasanya of Edeland, a school colleague, he has this to say in a poetic way: “I will miss you, Adventiist Grammar School, Ede Old Students Association, the Media Group, all your friends and associates, Ede Senior Citizens Club, Federation of Ede Descendants Union, Ede Elders Council, the entire Sons and Daughters of Ede will all miss you. Kaabiyesi, Timi of Ede, Oba (Dr) Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa 1, who shut down the Monday weekly palace sitting and ordered your exit day as a day of mourning for all Chiefs and Mogajis will miss you more. Kabiyesi ordered the attendance of the Chiefs and Mogajis at your dignified burial led by the Chief Immam of Ede Land and the Immams in Council with the Grand Mufti of Yoruba Land”. This can be appropriately described as a tribute from the palace of His Royal Majesty, who traditionally is not supposed to mourn. Hummnn!!

The remarks made by Emeritus Professor John Ayoade, a distinguished community leader in Ede, say it all with this remark in his tribute : “No news is good news. Surely not the news of Olumide’s death. He left a legacy and a good memory. He was passionate about Ede. He was respectful and equally respectable. Above all, he was genuine.”

The outpouring of emotions was spontaneous and legendary for a man that many of us regarded as someone who devoted his writing skills to illuminate the minds of the public on salient, human, and societal issues. Olumide was a flowery rose plucked by the cold hands of death, sending chills to his families, soul mates, colleagues, and town mates.

Olumide is gone, only his work and memories remain.
What else do we say about a man who spent his lifetime promoting and defending his birth place.

Sleep on peacefully our own lovely Castro, in Aljaena Fridaus. (Flowerbudnews)

By Owei Lakemfa

I grew up amongst Methodists and was taught by some of their best like Reverend J Obaba. Methodist Presbyter Samuel Adeoye Osinulu who was Principal of the Methodist Boys High School, MBHS, Lagos from 1955 to 1966, influenced generations of youths.

These included the founding Governor of Lagos State, Brigadier General Mobolaji Johnson; his successor, Naval Admiral Adekunle Shamusideen Lawal; former Ogun State Governor, Segun Osoba; ex-Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Nuraini Yusuf; and former National Planning Minister, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi who actually lived in his house as a boarder.

The MBHS had also produced the founding President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and his fellow nationalist, Chief Hezekiah Oladipo Davis.

Indeed, the Methodists in Nigeria are some of the best Christians on earth. However, the main problem is that for decades, a land-grabbing syndicate which prices earthly things far above heavenly gains, has entrenched itself in the Methodist Church Nigeria, MCN.

This cartel, has an incredibly insatiable appetite for church and school property. In Lagos alone, they have swallowed the lands of the Methodist Primary School, Yaba. They fell on the lands of the Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, Lagos. Only the resistance of the Old Girls has saved the school’s sports field. The cabal has also run the Wesley University, Ondo, aground.

After the Tinubu administration in Lagos returned schools to the missions and former private proprietors, the cartel immediately seized the old MBHS school premises on 11, Broad Street, Lagos and swallowed it.

It was while digesting this, the cabal in 2012 first invaded the MBHS school lands at its new site on 11, Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island wanting to build high-rise private luxury flats for sale to the public.

In the last dozen years, this is the Third Missionary Journey of the MBHS Old Boys after receiving SOS calls from the school, to ‘Come over to Macedonia’ and rescue it from the Church cabal. The battles to save the school lands have been waged each time a Prelate of the MCN is leaving or a new one comes into office.

Let me give a background. Methodist missionaries established the MBHS in 1878. I was privileged to be a student and Prefect when the school marked its centenary.

The first battles were in 2012 when Prelate Sunday Ola Makinde was about departing. The church administration, saying it wanted to raise funds, moved into the school premises to build private flats.

However, the Old Boys led by Mr Toyin Amusan, blocked the move. A peace meeting held on July 11, 2012 with a 17-Member MCN delegation led by Prelate Makinde, agreed to leave the school lands which by then, had been reduced by land grabbers from 5.7 to 3.3 hectares.

The second attempt was in 2021 under Prelate Samuel Chukwuemeka Kalu Uche. This attempt was again resisted by the Old Boys. The MCN led by the Prelate and the Old Boys led by Mr Kolapo Sogbetun, held peace meetings on November 2 and 9, 2021 to resolve the stalemate. Prelate Uche ordered the church and its agents never to touch the school lands again. He however, made two requests of the Old Boys. First, that they should refund the N30 million the Church had spent on construction, and secondly, provide an alternative land for the MCN business ventures. Three days later, the Old Boys formally wrote the church, accepting both requests and also offering to contribute in building the new church business premises. However, the MCN in its November 18, 2021 letter signed by its Secretary, Rt Reverend Michael. O. Akinwale said the Prelate made a mistake in requesting for N30 million and that the actual compensation it wants the Old Boys to pay it is N390 million. But the Old Boys stuck to the initial agreement.

The on-going third stage battles began in 2023 after Prelate Oliver Ali Aba took over the MCN mantle. Compared to his predecessors, Reverend Aba has been the most tactical, brazen and audacious. When his agents who invaded the school lands were evicted in August 2023, he made a tactical withdrawal and then on Monday, January 29, 2024, the MCN cabal returned in full force complete with over five dozen armed thugs who physically attacked the unarmed Old Boys led by 81-year-old Chief Tunde Fanimokun and 85-year-old Reverend Peter Omole.

When I watched the videos of the attacks, they reminded me of the heartless attacks by armed bandits of the Idoma villages which produced Prelate Aba.

Some have questioned how we knew that the attackers are thugs and not members of the church. My answer is simple: Methodists are not scruffy, cudgel-welding, stone-throwing, foul-speaking ‘Area Boys’. In any case, some Old Boys at the scene identified and called by name, some of the clearly drugged attackers because they are known street thugs in the vicinity.

I have also read some opinions online arguing that since the MBHS is in Lagos, the focus should be on the Lagos Diocese not the national MCN. This is an uninformed opinion and an attempt by the Church’s National Headquarters to hide behind a finger.

First, the Lagos State Government handed over the school to the national MCN, not the Diocese. Secondly, the body that surreptitiously obtained a second C of O Number 21/21/20112 signed by Governor Raji Fashola on February 6, 2012, was the MCN. This was a vain attempt to override the subsisting C of O in the name of MBHS, signed by Governor Lateef Jakande on October 25, 1983.

Thirdly, it was the Registered Trustees of the MCN which on July 20, 2012 incorporated the J. Wesley Investment Company limited with N10 million shares. The 14 shareholders who are the Trustees themselves, include then Prelate Sunday Makinde with N3.5 million shares, and his predecessor, Dr Sunday Coffie Mbang with N500,000 shares. Then, the same MCN Trustees on November 11, 2016, illegally, sold 8,235.744 square metres of the MBHS school land to their private company for the princely sum of One Naira (N1)

Fourthly, it is the MCN Trustees and their private J Wesley company that are using the school lands as collateral. Fifthly, it is the twosome that are building commercial flats in violation of the C of O that specifically states that the lands are for educational purposes only.

The truth stands naked; however, the current leaders of the MCN are desperate to robe it in priestly attires. The little veiled aim of the cabal is to relocate the MBHS and take over its entire lands.

Conscientious Nigerians, Methodists worldwide and the Lagos Sate Government need to join the Old Boys in ensuring that not an inch of the MBHS lands is stolen under any guise. (Flowerbudnews)

Flowerbudnews

Below is clip  of a iede-ranging interview with Burkina Faso’s junta leader Capt Ibrahim Traore in French with English subtitles.

.The clip was made available to Flowerbudnews by an International Affairs Analyst for broadcast.

Abuja (Flowerbudnews): The Lenin Centenary International Conference to mark the January 21, 1924 passing of Vladimir Illich Lenin was held in Abuja, Nigeria from January 22-23, 2024.

It brought together scholars, activists, journalists, labour leaders, public intellectuals, students, women leaders, diplomats and representatives from various nations including Nigeria, United States, Cuba, Ghana, South Africa, Venezuela, Palestine, Russia and United Kingdom while some joined virtually from other continents especially Europe.

The Conference analysed and examined the continuous relevance of the ideas of Lenin, the first human being to lead a successful socialist revolution.

It concluded that Lenin’s ideas and advocacy for a non-exploitative world, built on common development, peace and social justice, is the most viable solution to universal crises.
The Conference adopted ‘The Lenin Centenary Declaration’ which states that:

The world needs to give birth to a   new humanity that would collectively solve the natural and human challenges of the universe.
An end must be brought to mass suffering, exploitation, hunger, poverty, conflicts and wars.

The Right of all human beings to food, shelter, work, healthcare, education and security shall be guaranteed.

A non-discriminatory universe in which all human beings, irrespective of gender, race, beliefs etc, shall have equal rights.

A New Economic World Order built on the philosophy of the BRICS, which promotes voluntary collaboration, shared values, mutual development and    non- exploitation of other people and nations, should be created.

All peoples have a right to a homeland and to live in peace within secured borders. Accordingly, the two-state solution should be upheld in the Palestine.

Slavery in all forms and manifestations should be abolished.
Colonialism of countries and territories like Western Sahara, Puerto Rico, Gibraltar, Guam, New Caledonia, Bermuda and the British and American Virgin Islands, should be ended and the people, allowed to freely decide their future.

Elections should not be an end in itself. Rather, democracy should be based   on the delivery of tangible dividends to the populace including their right to development and sovereignty over all powers.

The development of continents along the lines of the European Union in which regional blocs merge, manufacturing is encouraged, Internal trade promoted and mutual development assured, should be   encouraged.
All international military alliances should be dismantled.

A stop be put to the production and stockpiling of all weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

It should be illegal for any country to unilaterally impose sanctions on another country. All sanctions should be by the United Nations General Assembly.

The United Nations should be transformed into a democratic system in which all nations shall have equal rights.  Permanent Membership and the Veto Power should be abolished with the General Assembly exercising sovereignty.

NIGERIA.
The Nigerian participants within the Conference Declaration, adopted a Manifesto that the progressive forces in the country shall merge based on the implementation of a Minimum Programme.

The Minimum Programme provides that the:
People have sovereignty over all powers and authority.

Security and welfare of the people shall be the basis and legitimacy of any government.
Abolition of all corrupt practices and abuse of power shall be enforced.

Resources of the country and the national economy should be   controlled to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of the people.

Country’s wealth, the means of production and exchange shall not be concentrated in the hands of few individuals or group

Nigerian people shall have the right to a living wage, sustainable pension, old age care, unemployment and sick benefits.
Education of all Nigerians at all levels shall be   free.
Revitalization of the   Student Movement, reintroduction of progressive student associations on campuses complete with political education classes, are essential for development.

Strengthening of the Trade Union and Women Movements along pro-people lines is fundamental in the building of a mass popular front.
Duty of Nigeria is to promote African integration and unity, and a just world economic order.
Right to freedom of thought and press freedom is sacrosanct.
Implementation of Lenin’s Principle of the right of all nationalities to self-governance, shall be ensured.
The Conference called on all progressive forces in the world to ensure the implementation of ’The Lenin Centenary Declaration.’
MADE THIS TUESDAY, 23rd January, 2024.
Owei Lakemfa
Chair,
Lenin Centenary Coordinating   Committee.
Lakemfaowei@ yahoo.com and centenaryvil@gmail.com (Flowerbudnews)
+2348023139151.

By Paul Ejime

(Flowerbudnews):  The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague on Friday ordered Israel to “take all measures within its powers to prevent the commission of any acts of genocide” against Palestinians in the besieged Hamas-controlled Gaza but fell short of calling for an immediate ceasefire as demanded by South Africa in its case of alleged genocide against Israel.

In its 35-minute majority ruling read by Justice Joan Donoghue, President of the 17-member panel of Judges, the Court also ordered Israel to “prevent and punish direct and public incitement to commit genocide; and to “immediately enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance in Gaza.”

Noting that it has jurisdiction on the case and dismissing Israel’s objection, the Court also ordered Israel to “prevent the destruction, and ensure the preservation, of evidence related to South Africa’s allegations.”

Both South Africa and Israel claimed “victory” over the ICJ ruling, which also ordered both parties to submit to the Court within one month, reports on their compliance with its orders.

South Africa had taken Israel to the ICJ alleging that Israel had violated the United Nations 1948 Genocide Convention as a result of the Israeli military ceaseless bombardments of Gaza in retaliation for the 7th of October 2023 raids on Israel by the Palestine militant group Hamas.

In reaching its conclusions, the ICJ cited statements by Israeli officials, including racial slurs and the reference to Palestinians as “human animals.”

The Court also referred to statements by UN senior officials describing the sufferings and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, as well as attacks by the Israeli military on infrastructure, homes, and hospitals, and denial of births in Gaza.

The Genocide Convention is the first human rights Treaty adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1948, signifying the international community’s commitment to ‘never again’ after the atrocities committed during the Second World War.

It describes genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy in whole, or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.”

The ICJ decisions are binding on State signatories, but the court has no means of enforcement.

Although Israel has a track record of disobeying UN decisions/resolutions, the Gaza case before the ICJ, a legal arm of the UN, is different since it touches on genocide.

Israel is among the UN’s 92-member State signatories to the 1948 Genocide Convention, which was informed by the mass killings of European Jews by Nazi Germany under Hitler, known as The Holocaust.

Also, apart from the outrage expressed in “Court of Public Opinion,” growing anti-Israeli sentiments over the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, support is waning for Israel, which continues to claim self-defence in the Gaza war.

Israeli officials said some 1,200 Israelis were killed, while 250 people of different nationalities were also taken hostage during the Hamas raids.

According to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, some 26,083 Palestinians have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since the 7th of October 2023 Hamas raids on Israel.

South Africa deserves credit for escalating the Gaza crisis to the ICJ, although it remains to be seen whether the Court’s ruling would increase the pressure on the U.S. to persuade Israel, its major ally to end hostilities in Gaza in favour of a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

Could Africa take a cue from this development, to review its relations with external partners given the “many raging Gaza-like” conflicts on the continent and other parts of the World with negative impacts on the continent and its more than 1.3 billion people?

Incidentally, Justice Donoghue is American, but ICJ judges are supposed to be apolitical and supranational.##(Flowerbudnews)

By Paul Ejime

Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security has advocated urgent measures to “reconcile tensions between democracy, governance and development,” and “a new compact with external partners to prevent a new Cold War in Africa.”

“The recent retreat from liberal democracy and growing instability in the West Africa sub-region and the wider Continent is taking place within a complex and dynamic global landscape characterized by an unprecedented convergence of multiple threat and opportunistic vectors, namely geopolitical and geostrategic shifts, economic downturn, currency fluctuations, digital. advancements, climate, and environmental concerns, and socio-cultural dynamics,” Dr Musah, a former Director, West African Division, United Nations, affirmed.

Addressing the International Relations Society of UK’s Oxford University at its Corpus Christi College, on 19th January, under the theme “Regionalism in West Africa and Causes and Course of Recent Instability,” the ECOWAS senior official said, that while there might be no “single-factor explanation for the growing political and security malaise …the fledgling and stumbling liberal democracy in Africa requires urgent resuscitation through the infusion of local culture, traditions, and realities.”

He posits that “Strengthening electoral democracy by promoting good governance and development requires the collective efforts of all – governments, the citizenry, their organizations, and partners.”

Dr Musah listed major threats facing Africa and by extension, West Africa, as follows:

· The cumulative impacts of pandemics, poor leadership, and macroeconomic mismanagement amidst a global financial, economic, and social downturn.

· Governance and development deficits (State capture, economic mismanagement, currency instability, retreat from the periphery, marginalization, and selective provision of basic services; identity politics, youth crisis, and corruption.

· Manipulation of constitutional and electoral norms and the weaponization of the judiciary to enable unconstitutional maintenance of power.

· Asymmetric security crisis (terrorism, radicalization, and violent extremism, led principally by Al Qaida and Islamic State affiliates; identity-based violence (farmer-herder dynamics, inter-communal violence)

· Climate change as a threat multiplier (dynamics in Central Sahel and worsening cyclical floods and drought).

· Geostrategic interests and geopolitical shifts, tensions between growing interdependence amid the collapse of multilateralism and deepening multipolarity: Dynamics between the NATO Powers (Collective West); China, Russia, India (BRICS); Medium Powers (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar) threatening a return to proxy wars.

· Emerging strategic choices by leaders of the region towards traditional and emerging powers without a clear exit strategy from the dependency syndrome.

· Genuine changing sentiments from below towards traditional powers, the re-birth of nationalism, and the instrumentalization of insecurity and public moods by sections of the military and their associates, and

· Explosion of new technologies the pervasive influence of social media and the manipulation of opinion through misinformation and disinformation.

The Commissioner’s prescriptions to prevent Africa from becoming the theatre of a new Cold War, include the “need to reconcile the tensions between democracy, governance, and development through measures to enhance the production of democratic dividends.”

Other measures include the “Restoration of constitutional order in countries in transition (Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger) through dialogue and pressure, combating unconstitutional changes of government and manipulation of constitutional and electoral laws through a review of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, as well as social and peer pressure on errant leaders.”

Civil society and private sector agencies should also be empowered in favour of democratic consolidation and inclusive economic development, the Commissioner said, while also advocating: “The enhanced operationalization of the ECPF (ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework) and the establishment of ECOWAS ECOSOCC (ECOWAS Economic, Social & Cultural Council) to be expedited.”

Ambassador Musah further called for the “Strengthening of counter-terrorism efforts – the activation of the ECOWAS Standby Force in its kinetic mode and the coordination of disparate counter-terrorism efforts: In this regard, the timeliness of the recent UN Security Council Resolution authorizing the use of assessed contribution to sustainably fund African-led peace support operations cannot be overemphasized.”

Tracing the evolution of ECOWAS Post-Cold War trends, he said there was a “temporary shift towards a unipolar world under Pax-Americana amidst hopes for greater multilateralism (which) coincided with the virtual collapse of weak States and rebirth of liberal democracy in Africa due principally to pressures from below against autocratic, dictatorial, and military rule, amidst the weakening of external protection for such regimes. “

He also cited the “civil wars in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Cote d’Ivoire (1989-2003); and the National Conferences (which) gave birth to liberal and illiberal democracies via multi-party elections.”

There was “ECOWAS’ pivot towards security engagements, bringing into sharp relief the obvious nexus between security and development,” Commissioner Musah said, adding that this was followed by the adoption of regional Protocols to reflect the changing dynamics.

These include the ECOWAS leaders “Declaration of Political Principles (1991); Revised ECOWAS Treaty (1993); Protocol Relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security (1999); Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (2001), which prescribes zero-tolerance for unconstitutional change of government), and the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (2008).”

Dr Musah noted that until 2021, all 15 ECOWAS Member States were governed by leaders chosen through multiparty elections, and “for the first time West Africa, and Africa as a whole, witnessed the defeat of incumbents at the ballot box. To compare: Only one recorded peaceful alternation of power until 1991. Since then, there have been 31 across the continent.”

He said, “The façade of democracy was unfortunately also underpinned by serious governance and development deficits: marginalization, youth unemployment, and ethnic and religious tensions,” adding: “The end of the first Decade and the beginning of the second of the 21st Century witnessed accelerated instability characterized by the impacts of the Ebola and COVID pandemics, financial, food, and social crises, governance deficits and intensification of terrorism and violent extremism, and the re-entry of the military into politics.”

There have been at least nine reported successful or failed military incursions into politics in West Africa since 2020, with four countries currently under military rule (Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger).

The Commissioner’s presentation was made against the background of worsening insecurity and disputed electoral processes in the region (Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia), with only Liberia producing a transfer of power from a ruling party to the opposition, as ECOWAS struggles to douse simmering political tensions in Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, and Senegal.

The regional organization has successfully negotiated political exile in Nigeria for Sierra Leone’s former President Ernest Bai Koroma, who was slammed with treason charges by the government of his country over an alleged coup attempt last November 26th following disaffection from the June 24th presidential election.

ECOWAS is also currently seized with developments in Guinea Bissau where President Umaro Embalo, in a recent controversial decision dissolved the opposition-controlled National parliament causing political disaffection in a country that operates a semi-presidential system that allows the party that controls the legislature to name the Prime Minister in addition to the control of the National Guards, while the President has authority over other national armed services.

In Senegal, which has crucial elections on February 25th, 2024, the Constitutional Court on Saturday disqualified two major opposition presidential candidates following the government’s recent decision to sack members of the national electoral commission after it included the name of a controversial opposition leader on the electoral list.

The Gambia is another ECOWAS member State under close watch amid opposition allegations that President Adama Barrow could be gunning for a controversial third-term mandate.

Describing “citizen apathy” as “the accelerator of bad governance…,” Dr Musah acknowledged that “the political, economic, and social conditions in the region are dire but not irreversible.”

“Restoring confidence in governance in the region requires a compelling strategic approach, as well as a multidimensional, multi-actor, and multiagency effort by all critical local, national, and regional actors in a strategic partnership with the African Union and the United Nations,” he affirmed.

But more than ever before, elections have become triggers and drivers of divisive and deep-rooted political crises in Africa, exacerbated by the undemocratic influence of money and overbearing interference of the judiciary.

Consequently, analysts have warned against the dangerous trend of major election outcomes being decided by the courts instead of through the ballot box, with wealthy politicians encouraged by their brazen assurance to buy court judgements after rigging elections and blatantly taunting their opponents “to go to court.” (Flowerbudnews)

(Ejime, a former War Correspondent, is a Global Affairs Analyst and Consultant on Peace & Security and Governance Communications*)