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New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
At 50, West Africa bloc ECOWAS teeters amid shifting alliances, security woes
LAGOS: Leaders of ECOWAS on Wednesday celebrated 50 years since its formation, reflecting on regional security challenges and internal fractures as Africa as a whole also seeks answers in the face of US trade tariffs and aid cuts. The anniversary comes at one of the worst of moments in recent years for the Economic Community of West African States, which was once internationally respected as a force for stability. Three junta-led countries Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger quit the bloc earlier this year. ECOWAS is also grappling with its security challenges with jihadists exploiting strained relationships between members and gaining ground in the Sahel and Lake Chad region. Benin and Nigeria have experienced a wave of attacks in recent months. And the Sahel region was in 2024 ranked the epicentre of global "terrorism" for the second straight year, accounting for more than half of deaths put down to terror attacks worldwide, according to the Global Terrorism Index published in March. Coups and attempted putsches have rocked nearly half of the original ECOWAS countries in the last decade, putting democracy on the ropes and straining relations among neighbours. Retired General Yakubu Gowon, 90, Nigeria's former military leader and the only surviving co-founder of the organisation, was confident the trio would return to the ECOWAS fold. "In recent years, we have witnessed the troubling resurgence of military coups in some of our member states. We thought that was over, but it seems as though personal ambition drives some people to do the wrong thing," he said in an address to the gathering at a Lagos hotel. "Our sister nations that have chosen to exit the community may in time reconsider their decision, as the bonds of history, culture, and shared destiny remain unbroken". "I am confident that with goodwill and sincere engagement, they will find a reason to return to ECOWAS family, stronger, more united, and committed to our common vision for West Africa. I believe, sooner or later, they will... come back," Gowon added.
BBC News
07-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
E possible to create new 31 states for Nigeria? Wetin be di procedure
Di Nigeria House of Representatives on Thursday pass one proposal for goment to create 31 new states on top di 36 states wey already dey exist for di kontri. Dis proposal, if goment implement am, go bring di states in Nigeria to 67, dat na 17 states more dan di United States of America wey dey more dan 10 times bigger dan Nigeria in size. According to di lawmakers, di breakdown of di new states go dey as follow: six for di North Central region, four for North East, five for North-West, five for di South-East, four for di South-South and seven for South-West. Di development don dey cause tok-tok on top social media as pipo dey ask weda e even dey possible at all and wetin be di reason for di proposal. So, BBC Pidgin chook eye to find out di procedure to create a new state for Nigeria. Wetin constitution tok on state creation Section eight of di Nigeria constitution make provision for how to create a new state for di kontri. First, di request for new state go dey supported by at least two-thirds majority of members wey dey represent di area demanding di new State for di National Assembly (both Senate and House of Reps), di State House of Assembly of di area, and di local goment councils of di area. Den di proposal for creation of state go enta referendum - voting - wia at least two-thirds majority of di people for di area go vote in support or against di demand for creation of di State. Afta dat, di result of di referendum go dey approved by a simple majority of all di states of di federation supported by a simple majority of members of State Houses of Assembly. Di last step na for di proposal to dey approved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of each of di Senate and House of Representatives. History of state creation in Nigeria Wen Nigeria get independence for 1960, di kontri dey divided into three regions: Northern, Western, and Eastern, until dem add di Mid-Western region for 1963. For 1967, di Head of State dat time, General Yakubu Gowon, bin create 12 states through a military decree. For 1976, goment create anoda seven new states, followed by two new states in 1987 and anoda nine new states in 1991, to make am 30 states. Di last time Nigeria goment create new states na for 1996 wen dem add six new states to make am 36. Di latest newest six states na: Bayelsa State, Ebonyi State, Ekiti State, Gombe State, Nasarawa State and Zamfara State. Nigeria need more states? Di simple answer na "no we no need more states", according to Dr Bello Maisudan, a lecturer for di Department of Political Science for Bayero University, Kano. Oga Maisudan explain say state creation suppose dey based on four things: demand, population, land size, and self sufficiency. On demand, Maisudan tok say pipo fit call for a new state maybe bicos of percived marginalisation by a majority ethnic group or inter-ethnic conflicts. Examples according to am na Nasarawa State wey dem create out of Plateau State and Bayelsa wey come out of Rivers State. Also, di size of di land by area as well as di population of a place na anoda tin to consider bifor creating a new state. Of course, di proposed new states, if created, suppose dey able to sustain itself and not to dey rely on federal allocation. "If you consider dis four factors, you go agree wit me say we no need new states. Even di 36 states wey we get now, how many of dem meet di criteria, especially di ability to sustain diasef witout di support of di federal goment?" Dr Maisudan ask. "In my opinion, if new states go dey created, e no suppose dey more dan five more, considering oda factors such as population and di complain of marginalisation of small ethnic groups by di majority ones." Oga Maisudan say even though some benefits dey from creating more states, di disadvantages pass di advantages. Some of di disadvantages according to am na e go add more to di cost of governance especially bicos some of di existing states need support from di federal goment to sustain diasef. Anoda one be say, e fit increase di agitation for separation from di kontri. Reactions from social media One X user wit di handle Samuel Olowomeye write wetin be like a sarcastic comment say "31 (new states) too small to be honest. Make am 774 - one state per local goment". Anoda user, Olusegun Bakare, say new states go make di sharing formula more tight "bicos many people go now dey involved, as we need more governor, more reps, more senators, more commissioners, etc". For Dare Oluwajuyitan, "di only reason to considere dis na if all states go agree to no federal allocation and dem go get full resource control. Each state go eat from wetin dem earn, and pay all dia officials from dia own pocket".
