Femi Falana, a well-known lawyer and advocate for human rights, has thrown light on the unsettling pattern of coups within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (san) identified “reckless exploitation of natural resources” as one of the main factors fueling the disturbing political turmoil and the emergence of unlawful changes in government in a statement released on Thursday.
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Falana emphasised that the unrestrained extraction of the area’s abundant natural resources, combined with outside involvement and influence, notably from former colonial governments, has perpetuated economic inequities.
He did this by drawing on the history and current socio-political landscape. As a result of these differences, the people has grown increasingly frustrated and angry, which has paved the way for coups and power conflicts.
Falana’s observations come at a time when ECOWAS has been under increased scrutiny, with a growing number of its member states experiencing political upheavals. He said the correlation between resource mismanagement and political instability underscores the urgent need for reformed governance and transparent economic practices in the region.
He said, “We have confirmed that another principal cause of change of governments in West Africa is the reckless exploitation of the natural resources of the member states of the ECOWAS by former colonial regimes and their allies.
“Such exploitation is compounded by the control of the national economy by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The implementation of the anti people’s policies of the foreign forces has continued to increase the poverty of the entire people of the region.”
