Mohamed Bazoum

By Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde

The stalemate between ECOWAS and Niger Republic needs to be broken urgently for humanitarian and strategic reasons. The decision should be taken tomorrow at the meeting of the Heads of State of the regional body to shorten the unnecessary suffering of 26 million ECOWAS citizens in Niger.

Humanity

The world is appalled by the ongoing starvation in Gaza, and it is rightly calling for its end. In a similar way, the humanity in us should trigger our conscience to open Niger’s borders and restore its electricity. There is just no reason why we should superintend over the death of African lives and the destruction of the economy of a member state in the name of democracy. It is no longer about Mohamed Bazoum or General Tchiani or the neo-colonial interest of France. It is about the people of Niger.

Democracy is not as important to Africans as it is to their lives and livelihoods. In a year or two, Niger can return to democracy, and heavens will not fall before then. However, the longer we strangulate Nigeriens now, the longer our guilt for the collective punishment we meted on them last later. On their part, the Nigeriens will retain—and recall—for generations the long memory of ECOWAS’ suffocating sanctions, and they will bring it to bear on every future association with Nigerians in particular.

A Shot in the Foot

Apart from the imperatives of history, DNA, culture and contiguity, the Niger Republic will, through River Niger and our future Europe-bound gas pipeline, continue to play a crucial role in our economy, not to mention the daily cross-border trade relations worth billions of Naira.

Our weaponization of electricity to Niger will seriously undermine future strategic cooperation with the Republic regarding River Niger. Nothing will stop it from damming the River in a big way to ensure its national electricity and food security, letting us get sufficient water in Kainji and Jebba Dams only when there is an overflow. We will be forced to rely solely on gas for power generation.

Our national security will also be at great risk when Niger inevitably develops cold feet, as a payback, on our strategic partnership against Boko Haram and Bandit terrorism. Niger is just a neighbour too important for Nigeria to call off. I am not sure if we haven’t shot ourselves in the foot already.

Forward

The July coup is now a standing reality. I suggest, as a way out, that ECOWAS demands two assurances from Niger, with a third party, say America, serving as a guarantor to the agreement: The release of Bazoum and a short timetable for a return to civilian rule in exchange for immediate removal of sanctions. This ‘Niger free, Bazoum free’ formula will immediately relieve the population of the horrendous difficulties it is undergoing and save the lives of the sick, including women and children, who are dying in Nigerien hospitals due to the blackout. It will also save the investments of hundreds of Nigerians whose loaded vehicles have been stranded at the borders for months now.

Bazoum’s government is spilt milk which cannot be recovered. ECOWAS should let this go and prepare for the future. It can consider establishing a standing force to immediately intervene in future incidents if necessary without procrastination. But how democracy is proving to be a conveyor of poverty and bad governance in Africa makes it a creed not worthy of such a financially heavy enterprise.

Instead, ECOWAS should develop mechanisms to promote good governance as the only assurance of stability and prosperity and a panacea against future coups. No matter the situation, in the future, measures that will bring hardship to citizens and ruin the economies of member states should be avoided as much as possible by ECOWAS. We cannot be Americans in Iraq. Otherwise, we will only be surrogates of colonial masters. So far in Niger, we have cut our nose to spite our face. Tomorrow, December 10th, is the date to start stitching it.

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde can be reached on Twitter: @Dr_AliyuTilde.

By Muhammad Muhammad Salisu

In case you don’t know, the coup d’etat in the Niger Republic is not about the standard of living, as Nigerians are insinuating. It’s about France, Mali and the radical revolution in French West Africa.

French-speaking West African countries are beginning to divorce themselves from French neo-colonialism. The recent developments in Mali testify to this. The Russian mercenary Wagner Private Military Company’s persistent presence is a direct threat to French interests in West Africa and the US, EU and NATO, who are currently fighting Russia by proxy in Ukraine.

To the French and other Western powers, Russia is expanding its influence to Africa, which is a slap on their Caucasian faces. Moreover, Mali has now dropped the French language as its official language. France is not happy with this. To all these, even if President Mohamed Bazoum does not support the Malian radicals, France is afraid it may spread to Niger.

Another problem France is facing is Nigeria. Nigeria has always been a thorn in the flesh of France. France is not happy with Nigerian wealth and is openly jealous. It is not news that France supported the secessionists in the Nigerian civil war fought in the 1960s. And also, it is not news that the insecurity issues Nigeria is facing now, fingers are pointed at France as the prime culprit, at least from the illegal flow of weapons into Nigeria. Bazoum is lately trying to strengthen ties with Nigeria. This makes France more and more afraid.

History will never forget the fate of the late President of Niger, Ibrahim Baare Mainasara. His close ties with Nigeria under General Sani Abacha, who was also viewed in the West as an enemy, led to his overthrow and his subsequent tragic end.

This is the actual reason behind the coup d’etat in Niger. Niger has been an impoverished nation, and the West has no interest in the poverty-stricken populace there. All they are after is their political interests there. Some Nigerians are calling for similar development in Nigeria. It will not augur well should it happen. The West is more comfortable with the insecurity herein than a change in leadership.

Muhammad Muhammad Salisu can be contacted via muhdibnmuhd@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Shehu Sani, the former Kaduna State lawmaker, has condemned the military coup in the Niger Republic.

Sani stated this Thursday on Twitter, adding that “military rule can not be the solution.”

The coup took place on Wednesday when members of the Presidential Guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum.

He added that although he understood the disappointment and the political clash, the military coup could not be the alternative.

Sani stated, “Military rule must be totally rejected and resisted in West Africa. Our democracy is not perfect, and there is no perfect democracy anywhere. Military rule is not the solution.

“I’m surprised to read comments on social media, it appears that many young people are now in support of it. 

“I understand the disappointment and the frustration with the political class. It’s still better we continue to struggle to make our democracy better until we get it right,” Sani added.