A Look At The Nigeria -Niger Dilemma Ordeal: A Clash Of The Titans
Mohammed Bazoum, the president of the republic of Niger is ousted and a subsequent military take-over was installed. The United Nations, the United States and other powerful nations are concerned about the political tension taking place in the Sahel county in recent months, despite the people of Niger republic expressing delight in the military administering affairs of their country.
The United Nations mandates ECOWAS to ensure the peace of that region and reinstate the ousted leader. However, the current government of Niger wants the French ambassador to leave the country. The people want the end of French covet rule in their country. They are of the view the French still control a huge stake in their nation's economic resources, deliberately exploiting them. In fact, it is said that France takes about ninety-two percent of their country's resources, leaving them with a meager eight percent to stay in poverty!
As the present government of Niger wants the evacuation of the French from it's territorial bounds, the flags of Russia are being hoisted in strategic places in Niamey, the country's capital, one can't help but comprehend the fact of the presence of Russia via the front, known as the Wagner Group, covertly masterminding the orchestration of the military take-over of the country. The Russian flags are also being hoisted in neighbouring Chad, Burkina Faso and Mali. The people of those countries are apparently dissatisfied with what French Imperialism has overtly and covertly constituted in their social-economics lives in decades. They are clamouring for the evacuation of the French in their countries.
ECOWAS chairman and president of the Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, issues a seven-day ultimatum to Niger, a member state, to reinstate ousted Mohammed Bazoum as president. However, the warning falls into deaf ears as the military is head-bent to ensure the interest of it's people are put in perspective. Abdourahmane Tchiani, the current military leader, is follows the widely held notion of the people that his predecessor has been consented to the exploitation of the country for aggrandizement of himself and enrichment of his cronies and allies, at the expense of the lives of Nigerian citizens.
The dialogue between the ECOWAS delegation and the current military leader apparently remains deadlocked as there seems not to be a concrete compromise on both sides of the coin. Consequently, as ECOWAS begins to implore military force to approach the highly sensitive issue, the Nigerian forces seem ready to protect its "independent political decision". It is also fascinating to know that other neighboring countries are following suit.
Niger is blessed with Uranium, oil, phosphate, coal and petroleum. Little of the proceeds from the exploration, exploitation and exportation of these are given to the country while the French make tons of profit from it. Niger is unfortunately and arguably the second poorest country in the world today. The people attribute the anomaly to the continued stay of the French. They want an end to the cynical control of their resources and their unhealthy exploitation. The people, together with the current military government, are determined to ensure nothing, even the ECOWAS and any form of sanctions emanating from the UN would abrupt their mandate.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose ascendency to power is seen as controversial, has not only made the lives of Nigerians miserable but also alerted the world the confirmation why Nigeria is currently the world's capital of poverty. Barely five months in office, average Nigerians are struggling to feed three times daily as the prices of goods and services plummet every now and then with no price regulatory body to carry out the assignment. Insecurity from the northern to the southern parts of the country is making the growth of businesses hang on the balance. It apparently not his concern as his motive is to reinstate a leader who his people are happy to see him leave the seat of power. The people of Nigeria wants the current government to mind it's business of addressing the economic and political pitfalls keeping the country in hostage rather than interfering with another nation attempting to achieve normalcy in it's economy and political space.
As the Wagner Group is currently in Niger and it's government wants the exist of the occupation by the French, one could begin to wonder: 'Is there a clash of the Titan French and Russian interest over the control of resources'? One seems to be in the favor of the status quo while the other wants to challenge the same status quo
Time simply revealed itself!