Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has cautioned that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) risks sliding into irrelevance if it continues to operate as an elite club of rulers disconnected from the realities and aspirations of its citizens.
Fayemi issued the warning while delivering remarks at the second edition of the African Political Square and Experts Meeting on Alternative Futures for ECOWAS at 50, held in Abuja.
He called for a fundamental reinvention of the regional body, stressing that ECOWAS must urgently transform from a leaders-driven institution into a citizen-centered community capable of tackling poverty, inequality, insecurity, and governance failures.
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The former governor also expressed concern over the region’s worsening insecurity, advocating for a comprehensive human security strategy to effectively combat terrorism and insurgency across West Africa.
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In his remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, represented by the Commissioner for Public Affairs, Peace and Security, Dr. Abdel Fattah Al-Nusra, noted that West Africa stands at a critical juncture in its evolution, grappling with the twin crises of democracy and security.
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Speakers at the event further emphasized the need for Africans, especially the youth, to rise to the challenge and choose the path of democratic renewal over military dictatorship as the region seeks a more stable and inclusive future.
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