By
Hon. Rahman Owokoniran
At the recently concluded African Union Summit, which held mid-July 2023, the Nigerian President literally called for an end to coup d’etats in Africa, citing the need to strengthen democracy in Africa. However in a twist of fate, democracy in Africa suffered a setback with the government of Niger experiencing a military take over just less than two weeks from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s admonition.
Apparently, he takes exception to the recent military takeover of government in Niger. After all, he has been most vocal on this issue to the amazement and concern of majority of Nigerians.
In the wake of the Niger military coup, in a matter of days, President Bólá Ahmed Tinubu summoned the meeting of ECOWAS (as its Chairman) to present a united front to oppose the military intervention in Niger. He had threatened to intervene in the country if the military failed to return the ousted President to office. He also threatened to sanction the nation should the military government refuse to return the civilian President to office.
But Nigerians, on the other hand, are at sea regarding the reasons why their President should be so engrossed with Niger’s internal affairs and why he should be crying more than the bereaved.
Even the civilised world is known to follow the tradition of non-interference in the affairs of sovereign nations. Ukraine is currently at war with Russia, none of the Western world nations, including America and Europe, joined forces with Ukraine to fight Russia. Those are two sovereign nations at war. Why should the Nigerian government be so engrossed in this war that he seeks to install democracy in another sovereign nation at all costs? There has to be more than meets the eye. Has the President considered the huge implications in terms of economic and security? Could it be possible that we are on a different mission? Whatever it is, it should be subjected to the realities of our nation today.
The resources we will be committing include human lives, billions of Naira and possible disintegration of our nation. Is the President considering the increase in the population of Internally Displaced Persons that may result as a fall-out of a needless war? It is worrisome that our government will contemplate to go to war with another nation after our many years of austerity.
This government is distantly disconnected from the people, otherwise it would have known that the latest policies have left majority of the population struggling to survive the economic uncertainties; and the implication of any war at this time will only escalate the flame, whose end no one can predict. Why do I say this?
A) Nigeria is not occupying that position whereby it can teach other nations about democracy.
I) We have abdicated our role in teaching others lessons on democracy because we ourselves are still struggling to understand the true meaning of democracy after so many decades of trial-and-error. Democracy is not just winning elections by whatever means possible. And unless we get it right, we will continue to be vulnerable to all kinds of vices that will cripple us as a nation.
II) Our last elections were a disgrace to the whole world. How do we market a democratic package to those who haven’t seen any reason to trust the democratic system? Democracy can only be sold to others by educating them about its benefits and not forcefully shoving it down their throat. Currently, we are not a shining example of a democratic nation.
III) Most African nations under democratic rule have not delivered the dividends of democracy. How do you then propagate an idea you don’t seem to believe in? I say this because when you believe in a cause, you nurture, you sustain it till it yields the desired fruits.
B) People do not buy the idea of Nigeria invading Niger because not only is it morally and politically wrong, are we even thinking about the insecurity and home-grown terrorism that is already ravaging the North? If this government is not on a mission to reduce our population by war, how can a country that has not successfully decimated local Boko Haram decide to go on an international warfare? A country being terrorised in a “Civil War” in the last eight years now thinks of walking itself into an international ambush, what is fueling this foolhardiness?
C) What will be the benefit to our Nation after the warfare? What will be our gain after re-installing the civilian government in Niger? should we lose the war, what will become of the border towns? We just might end up with a different nation other than Nigeria as we have known it. And what about the colossal amount of money we might have lost to prosecute the war; can we afford that wasteful war-chest not? Do we have the war-chest to finance this invasion or we will continue to go cap-in-hand borrowing from China back to India and who next because the support may not come from our Western allies? These are allies who don’t have the reputation of showing up at the nick of time when needed.
Peradventure we win the war against Niger, how long are we going to keep our soldiers there to enforce compliance?
These are hard questions that need to be answered and communicated to the Nigerian people.
Mr. President, it is your judgement call that is on trial. Since time immemorial, different Heads of State have been put on trial on the World Stage. Your judgement on this will decide how they will place you for future dealings.
My honest advice is: Do the right thing, because it is good for your people and because it must be your people first. After all, you are the President of Nigeria.
HON. RAHMAN OWOKONIRAN WRITES FROM LAGOS