This is now the world of blocs. There are political blocs, military blocs and economic blocs. It is all part of the consolidation for the new time. All wise countries that deploy Strategic Studies to manage their countries are spending their research time examining existing blocs. Which changes to make, what new alliances to explore, and what changes to Institute. In the process, they act as disrupters of status quo.
That is a good thing. Master humans with special missions are driving this worldwide. Trump is one strategic leader. Putin is a master of grand strategy. Few others are doing it in their little way. Like Mr Paul Kagame. Like Muhammed Bin Rashid Al Macktoun, like Kim I Jon. Mr Ramaphosa is showing signs of it; in a break from the bland banality of his immediate predecessor.
We need this in Nigeria. We can not keep managing a strategic country like Nigeria as if it were a mere instrument for us to eat and sleep like animals. Nigeria must become more proactive in deploying her God-given resources to realize her God-given Mission.
In times past, Strategists in government realized the importance of wielding the Western part of Africa with her active, rambunctious and intelligent people into a more cohesive union for the benefit of all. No expenses or effort were spared in bringing the dream to life during Gowon’s leadership.
That was how ECOWAS came into being with high expectations and hopes. The challenge with Strategy is that it is no cult. While you are planning strategically for yourself, others are also seeing what you are seeing, knowing where your destination is, and , if your interests clash with theirs, they oppose you.
The above is the reason ECOWAS has not been nearer to the noble goals of its founding fathers than it presently is. Other blocs should be coming to Nigeria to study how we have managed to conceive and birth such a futuristic organization. That this has not happened is due to the fact that after the dreamers, no strategists followed up to understand the absolute importance of ECOWAS and pull out all stops to achieve its aims.
But ECOWAS has soldiered on. And so it should be. But we must be vigilant. Because of the lethargy by Nigeria policy makers, all kinds of vultures are coming around to nibble and maybe steal our patrimony. ECOWAS is our baby. We must protect it jealously. It took much thinking and hard work to bring ECOWAS to where it is today.
In view of the foregoing, it is annoying that Nigeria officials in the Foreign Minisrry don’t seem to be paying enough attention to what is going on now. Other countries are attacking our strategic interests in Africa. China is one of them. Israel is one of them. The most brazen of all is the recent audacious attack by Morocco, similar to a bird attack gambit in the game of chess, to infiltrate West Africa.
Yes. The request by Morocco to join ECOWAS is a flank attached on our region and our country’s strategic interests. ..and must be blocked by Nigeria.
\”Belligerent North African country\”
A MOROCCO that is a belligerent country on the continent can not be a desirable member of ECOWAS, a grouping of peace loving countries in West Africa. Many reasons can be an deduced for this, but the main reason at the end of the day is our strategic economic interests. But first.
\”Under-reported Muslim Arab Slave Trade \”
Arabs do not respect Africans as equals, maybe as a result of the grossly under reported Arab Slave Trade which brutalized Africans more than the more well known Transatlantic Slave Trade. Arabs will only be looking, in any interaction, for a master-servant relationship. Morocco can not be different. If they could feel so superior to Saharawi citizens up to colonizing them (Saharaoui Arab Democratic Republic) so brazenly right into the 21st century, it\’s clear others are held in contempt, especially Sub-Saharan Africans.
Forget the smiles and the dollars being dangled. A monarchical Morocco that can boldly assert rights to colonize a neighboring country (Saharawi Republic) can not be a sincere member of a group (ECOWAS) that not only disavows colonialism, but also all kinds of undemocratic government; like the monarchy practiced in Morocco.
Further, ECOWAS is a geography-bound and geography defined organization. Open to only countries in WESTERN AFRICA as the name clearly states, and as stated in the Treaty. What motivates Morocco to want to join? When it is geographically out of West Africa. Doubtful if it is altruistic motives.
What possible reasons for Morocco’s gambit
it is an atrack. Diplomatic attack. They may be looking for a market for their products. Nigeria created, supported and funded this sub regional organization. It is the natural economic sphere of influence for Nigeria. Anyone coming in will amount to attempting to reap where they have not sown.
Then there is the small issue of EU wanting special status for their products in West Africa. If Morocco is granted memberahip, under any terms, it will be the end for our own products. Nigeria has correctly refused to sign the so called EPA , the Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU..
If Morocco becomes ECOWAS member, EU countries can set up shop in Morocco and export to West Africa from there on concessionary terms. Therefore European goods will start entering our West African subregion through the back door, defeating our opposition to the attempted unbalanced EPA Trade Treaty. This is why the Morocco gambit is correctly described above as a flank attack, bird’s attack. Europe, defeated in a direct attempt to infiltrate our large market through a fraudulent trade Deal, now goes through the flanks by employing Morocco.
By antecedents of Morocco, they can not be coming with altruistic motives.
Finally, can any Sub Saharan-African country contemplate, much less be admitted to a grouping of Arab Nations? On what basis?
For these reasons, Nigeria must leave nothing to chance: Morocco \’s insolent attempt to usurp our position in ECOWAS, which we created and have been funding, for the benefit of West African citizens, must be blocked, at all costs…
