Abeokuta – March 28, 2022

Democrats – individual leaders and institutions – are becoming increasingly concerned about the pace by which democracy is eroding in West Africa. The attendant effect of the military reemerging on the political scene has made things even more desperate.

The consensus is that power grab either by the ballot through rogue elections, or by the barrel of the gun, constitutes the same threat and must be dealt with in the same way.

Champions of democracy, peace, security and economic growth are therefore working in overdrive to swiftly address this anathema with enduring solutions. 

Few days ago, Wednesday March 23, former President Ernest Bai Koroma participated in a West African Elders Forum Strategy Meeting which assessed the current situation and agreed on a number of actions and recommendations. On March 24 and 25, the statesman was speaking about democracy, good governance and leadership to Tel- Africa and the Center for International Policy respectively.

Once again, Monday March 28, President Koroma has been called upon to participate in yet another of these critical endeavours. Organised by the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA), this ‘High Level Policy Dialogue’ seeks to interrogate the progress and setbacks of democracy in West Africa since 1990 with the objective to understanding its impact and why this system of government continues to face the challenges it is facing in the Subregion. CoDA is an African Union Soecial Initiative which is working on a variety of prigrammes including curbing illicit financial flows from Africa.

Participants included Nigeria’s vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former Presidents of Nigeria President Olusengun Obassanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, former President of Niger, Mohamudou Issoufou and former President of The Gambia, Madam, Fatoumatta Tambajang.

The deliberations were conducted on Chatham House Rules.