By Ismaila Umaru Lere
The hoopla over Nigeria’s oversized contingent at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the tragedy of Nigerian Army’s ‘friendly fire’ in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna has dominated our political space and atmosphere in the last few days. But one major development that caught my attention and fancy was the fascinating geopolitical story about Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger forming a confederacy to be known as the Alliance of Sahel States [EAS], which is part of a long-term goal of uniting the West African neighbours within a federation. This move could pose challenges for ECOWAS, which has struggled with addressing the political situation in the region.
All the three countries, under military rule and suspended from the West African subregional bloc, announced the formation of a separate organization in Bamako, Mali on Friday after a meeting of the nations’ foreign ministers. In a joint statement following their two-day meeting, the foreign ministers said they are guided by the ambition to ultimately achieve a federation uniting Burkina, Mali and Niger.
Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said the conclusions will be submitted to their heads of state, who are due to meet in Bamako at an unspecified date. The Bamako meeting aimed to flesh out the workings of the new alliance, with the ministers emphasising the importance of diplomacy, defence and development “to consolidate political and economic integration”.
Last month, the countries’ economy and finance ministers recommended creating a stabilisation fund, an investment bank and a committee that would study an economic and monetary union. Analysts say these developments must be troubling to ECOWAS, which has so far, failed to carry through its own economic integration objectives.
Towards achieving a common currency and a federation, the EAS States are aiming at taking appropriate measures for the operationalization of the Alliance, through the adoption of additional protocols and agree on a mechanism for coordinating the political and diplomatic action of the AES member states. With the current move one can easily enthuse that the days of the CFA franc are numbered, and there is little France can do to prevent this from happening.
During their deliberations, the Ministers reiterated their firm determination to consolidate the centuries-old ties that unite the three countries, through strengthened political and economic integration. They reaffirmed their commitment to raising the formal framework of institutional relations between Burkina, Mali and Niger, to the height of the special links which already unite their peoples.
By their alliance, the EAS is recreating Africa, showing us the way to go which is reorganizing Africa into larger federations or confederacies for mutual cooperation and development to ensure unity, power and prosperity of the continent. I am fully aware of the doctrine of the “inviolability of colonial borders” resolution taken by the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1964 in Cairo in which African states pledged to respect and retain the existing colonial borders. However, past Pan Africanists believed in the unity, power, and prosperity of Africa thought it was wise to unite Africa. It is in the tradition of these Pan Africanists that I stand.
So much has happened since 1964, and not only have that resolution been violated with the establishment of the South Sudan, but the respect for colonial borders has done nothing by way of ensuring the peace and stability of Africa.
Instead, the colonial borders have only brought nationalism, civil wars, genocides, and ultimately, weak, and unviable African states that cannot even take care of their people.
Remember, Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana and a brilliant visionary, understood this quite well. In the early 1960s, as part of the Casablanca Group and alongside the leaders of Algeria, Guinea, Egypt, Mali, and Morocco he urged to immediately create the Union of African States. However, the President of Tanzania (in 1964-1985) Julius Nyerere, who represented the more moderate Monrovia Group, campaigned for gradual integration that would start at the level of regional associations.
As a result, by the time Africa gained formal independence, the continent was caught up in a powerful disintegration process.
Nyerere eventually admitted that Nkrumah was right. In 1997, he said, “Once you multiply national anthems, national flags and national passports, seats of the United Nations, and individuals entitled to a 21-gun salute, not to speak of a host of ministers, prime ministers and envoys, you would have a whole army of powerful people with vested interests in keeping Africa balkanized.”
I shall not even mention the many puppet leaders that the colonialists imposed on these states after they assassinated, overthrew in coups, or jailed Pan African leaders such as
Dr. Nkrumah, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Patrice Lumumba, Modibbo Keita, Haile Selassie, Murtala Muhammed, Thomas Sankara and Muammar Gaddafi.
The incompetent and corrupt West-backed puppets not only went on to rule for 20 to 40 years but nearly, permanently decapitated the continent. They committed enormous crimes against humanity, genocides, and industrial scale looting from their countries; and yet, for as long as they served their masters in Europe and America, they remained in power.
However, Africa can no longer afford to live in the shadows of these puppets. A post-colonial Africa must now define its course for the sake of its sons and daughters and revisit the Pan African Agenda. Africa should reorganize itself and do away with the Cairo Resolution and the Berlin Conference borders. For, without this, Africa will not realise the dream of its sovereignty, peace and prosperity.
Fusing together African nation states into five or six massive federations {or confederacies} with populations and vast markets of on average, 270-300 million would mean larger markets and intra-African trade, ability to control our natural resources, faster goods and people transit, a larger workforce, more consistent policies,
Many residents have been reportedly killed in an accidental air strike carried out by a Nigerian Army aircraft at Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The incident is said to have occurred around 9pm on Sunday, when villagers gathered for Maulud celebration.
The Kaduna state government in its reaction says it has received briefings from security forces on the attack which is said to have left an unknown number of citizens dead and many others injured.
At a meeting presided over by Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe, which had in attendance heads of security agencies, religious and traditional leaders, the Nigerian Army explained the circumstances that led to the unintended attack.
The General Officer Commanding One Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna, Major General VU Okoro explained that the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists before its operations inadvertently affected members of the community resulting in a collateral damage.
n army that can do this is really unsafe for a Nation, I think a thorough investigation should be done and make sure that such never repeat itself in our history. I think this is not first time
No army officer or general will be held accountable.
Nobody would be sacked.
Nobody would be punished for this gross incompetènce and càrelessly from the Nigerian army.
This is like the third time in just 3 years.
Well! I believe it’s due to human errors but now what is the government doing to sympathies with the family of the affected ones, and those office in-charge should be investigated and actions be taken. That souls lost are also loved by the parents and relatives. Be politics aside
The Inspector General of Police is in Dubai to attend the COP.
Pray, what is the business of the IGP in a climate conference in Dubai?
President Tinubu mumbled and fumbled in his speech during the roundtable discussion and.
The co-participants were besides themselves in disbelief.
NIGERIA’S PARTICIPATION IN COP FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS
No. of Participants:
2023* [COP28] — 🇦🇪UAE: 1,411
2022 [COP27] — 🇪🇬Egypt: 120
2021 [COP26] — 🇬🇧UK: 87
2019 [COP25] — 🇪🇦Spain: 53
2018 [COP24] — 🇵🇱Poland: 107
2017 [COP23] — 🇩🇪Germany: 46
2016 [COP22] — 🇲🇦Morocco: 81
2015 [COP21] — 🇫🇷France: 87
2014 [COP20] — 🇵🇪Peru: 50
2013 [COP19] — 🇵🇱Poland: 49
*Provisional
#Statisense
(UNFCC)
Fuel subsidy was removed so this sort of reckless spending can take place. States FAAC has increased with no visible impact. NASS are buying SUVs and sharing prayers through mail. Removing fuel subsidy is so they can have more money to waste like this. Carrying 1,411 to the UAE all on government expenses, using money we don’t have to run the country and they still want to borrow more, but do they care? om 2013 thru 2022 figures put together is still not up to a half of this year’s figure.
Yet, the country is broke and applying to borrow funds for next year’s budget. This extravagance is nothing but executive rascality.
Anybody can register for #COP28. And I registered for it while on air. The Nigerian government did not pay for 1411 delegates to attend as they claimed. Anybody who registers with a Nigerian passport is regarded as a delegate from Nigeria. But that does not automatically mean that they are representing the Nigerian government. Most Nigerian delegates were from the private sector. And you do not even have to be at the Dubai venue physically. You can register as a delegate to attend remotely from your country of residence. Please go to http://worldclimatesummit.org, and you can also register. Even if you hate Tinubu, don’t destroy Nigeria’s image with lies from Aris
