Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed his disagreement with the ECOWAS project to deploy a military force to Niger following the coup that took place in late July. Obasanjo voiced his concerns during a conversation with Thomas Adotei Pappoe, the Head of Communication and Advocacy at the Youth Bridge Foundation, in Mankessim, Ghana.
ECOWAS had decided to send a military force to Niger to reinstate the ousted President, but this decision has faced strong criticism. Obasanjo suggested that ECOWAS should have taken a more diplomatic approach and not appeared as a belligerent force during the coup. He also drew parallels with a similar historical situation in Ghana.
Regarding the reasons for recent citizen-supported coups, Obasanjo attributed it to deep-rooted causes in Africa that have not been addressed. He explained that public support for coups stems from citizens’ frustration when leaders fail to address their needs.
Obasanjo, a former coup leader Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, is a prominent political figure in Africa. Born on March 5, 1937, in Ogun State, Nigeria, Obasanjo had an impressive military career before entering politics. He joined the Nigerian Army in 1958 and quickly climbed the ranks, eventually becoming the Chief of Army Staff in 1975. In the same year, he led a military coup that overthrew the civilian government in power.
Obasanjo later handed over power to civilians in 1979, but he returned to power in 1999 as a democratically elected president. He served in this role for two consecutive terms until 2007, dedicating his time to implementing significant economic and political reforms.
Outside of his political role, Obasanjo is also a prolific author and an international mediator. He has written several books on political and socio-economic issues, and he has been involved in conflict resolution initiatives in Africa.
Today, Obasanjo is often consulted for his expertise and experience as a leader and statesman. He continues to advocate for Africa’s interests and to promote sustainable development and good governance on the continent.
