The Resurgence Of Military Intervention In Africa: A Cause For Concern -By Shariff M.M Al-hassan

African Nations some years back came together to form the than Organization Of African Union (OAU) which much much later refashioned as African Union (AU).

This regional union was essentially formed to promote good governance, peace,prosperity and also to promote social cohesion and economic prosperity among the member states.

These being the reason why other regional organs were created such as ECOWAS, ECOEAS,ADB, ECOMOC and other silent regional bodies to promote these aspirations.

The objectives of all these regional bodies are simply captured under the provisions of section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria which provides that ” the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government “. Even though this is applicable to Nigeria only, yet every civilised Nation must have this as the cardinal principle of the government.Thus this could be the main reasons why these organs were/are formed in Africa.

Indeed by all implications they are promoting these concepts generally by their governments.But of recent, Military regimes are resurfacing in Africa and in West Africa in particular and instead of researching as to why these august bodies are busy clapping sanctions on those countries that have successfully changed their government without civil resistance in Mali,Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bisau.

It is important that African Union and other Organs should step further into our numerous Universities and other Research Institutions that deals in politics and contemporary issues to find out why these sudden resurgence of military regimes than these sanctions.I am very confident that there must be reasons for their actions.

A stitch in time saves nine. As what an elder sees right inside a ditch cannot be seen by any youth even if he/she climbs on top of a hill.

I therefore respectively suggest to our Governors,Vice-President, Political Advisers, Hon. Ministers of Interior and Foreign, Security Agents, Political Analysts to advice the Chairman of AU and ECOWAS through His Excellency, the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria to find out the reasons and handle it more appropriately but not through sanctions as this is likely make them to act tougher and if it fails another window may be opened for other Nations to act so.

AMB. COMR Shariff