Why Coups Rise In West Africa — Ex-UN Envoy, Bande

Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, Prof. Tijani Muhammadu  Bande, has said the desperations for change of leadership in the West African countries by military forces were due to poor leadership.

He made the observation at the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellows Alumni Association of Nigeria, COSFAN, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, yesterday.

The event was organised to celebrate the 80th birthday of former Chief of Staff(CoS)  to former  President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

It was also used to unveil the book written by COSFAN, titled “Readings In Diplomacy, Democracy, Peace and Development”  in honour of Prof. Gambari.

Bande added that military government was on the rise in African countries because of glaring cases of flawed elections and a sense that elections hardly removed bad leaders, which had been giving  a veneer of support for military interventions.

Prof. Bande, who is the book reviewer, said:  “Most changes to the constitution in West Africa  countries are about more powers to the President but yet, there is little to show that concentrated power meant improvement in the lives of citizens and Togo and Guinea are cases in point.

“In other places, violence followed the weak transparency of governments. So, coup d’etats happened in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic.

“Justifications of these acts are mainly from security to poverty, to loss of sovereignty to erstwhile colonial powers.

“Certainly, frustration with flawed elections and a sense that elections hardly remove bad leaders have given a veneer of support to some for this dangerous direction.

“For example, in Mali, the failure to secure people for a decade played into the hands of the coupists as the death toll reached 2,000 people. One and half million became refugees. Street protests against President Boubacar Keita was taken advantage of by the military.”

Bande also canvassed ethics in governance and social relations, saying the development would help the country  in her challenges and also make progress.

“Because of the multiple diversities characterising Nigeria, values and norms are not uniform. Furthermore, technology,  migration and urbanisation and the erosion of traditional values, among other things, have impacted behaviour and norms.

“Dysfunctional and corruption behaviour must be removed in Nigeria, otherwise the incessant search for material wealth at all costs will continue to fuel inefficiency, inequality, inferior standards and even violence.

“Agencies for dealing with these ills, such as ICPC, EFCC, NOA, NDLEA, have made their contributions but the problem has continued unabated.”

He described the celebrant, Prof. Gambari, as a committed Nigerian and internationalist, saying his exposures have touched peace and development globally and regionally.

National President of COSFAN, Dr. Ekundayo Samuel, in his welcome speech, said:  “We are here to honour a diplomat, a scholar, a true luminary, and a cherished patron of COSFAN, as he marks his 80th birthday.

“This occasion is made even more special as we present a festschrift, titled ‘Reading in Diplomacy, Democracy, Peace and Development’, a tribute that encapsulates a lifetime of dedication, intellect, and service to humanity.”

In his remarks on the occasion, Kwara State governor and chairman, Nigeria’s Governors Forum, NGF, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said he was proud of the celebrant.

“We are always proud that the mention of Prof. Ibrahim Gambari instantly commands respect and honour across all spectrums, owing to his contributions to scholarship, international diplomacy and world peace, as well as national unity and development at various times,” the governor said.

Represented at the event by his deputy, Mr Kayode Alabi, Governor AbdulRazaq, said further:  “This gathering is another testament to the standing of this global statesman.

“Written in honour of Prof. Gambari, Readings in Diplomacy, Democracy, Peace and Development is a book I want all of us to read as our world evolves and grapples with emerging challenges of the new media and unfettered freedom, the rise of non-state actors with differing perspectives on the concept of diplomacy, democracy, peace and development, and the shifting nature of the international system and power dynamics.

“While many of these issues may defy textbook prescriptions, I believe firmly that scholarly research and insights on such topics are always useful in our search for practical and sustainable solutions.

“I, therefore, thank the Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Alumni Association, organizers of this programme, for their love for our own Prof Gambari and their passion for knowledge, understanding of the world as it is, and national development.’

“On behalf of the people and government of our state, I congratulate Prof. Ibrahim Gambari on his 80th birthday and I wish him many more years of happiness and contributions to national and global peace as an international statesman”.

In his remarks, the celebrant, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, described himself as an accidental diplomat judging by his childhood and educational background.

According to him,”they planned, I planned but God is the best planner, says the Holy Quran. Up till now, I still tell people to refer to me as teacher by training and diplomat by accident because I did not want to be a diplomat.

”But, look at what the Almighty Allah has done to compel me from a person who went to a primary school in Bode Saadu and Malete in the now Moro local government area of Kwara State to become one time president of United Nations Security Council.”

“I served my country as longest serving ambassador at the United Nations. That was not also a happy period because I was constant in Nigeria’s standing in the world when we have so many issues at home. I had five Presidents during my period as ambassador; Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Sanni Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar and briefly under President Olusegun Obasanjo.”

In her opening remarks, the chairperson of the local organizing committee, Dr. Abiola Adimula, described the occasion as a monumental celebration of excellence, service and leadership.

She lauded Professor Gambari as a “distinguished academic, resourceful professional, astute technocrat, and world diplomat,” whose contributions to international diplomacy, democratic development and global peace were indelible.