Thread by @DefenseNigeria

Lets call out the hypocrisy and relentless inteference in West Africa's affairs. During the August 2020 Coup in Mali former President Goodluck Jonathan was appointed by ECOWAS as a special envoy to head its mediation mission in Mali. When talks failed and sanctions were

.imposed Emmanual Macron condemned ECOWAS's "hasty" decision, stating democracy can wait, the stability of the nation should be of paramount importance

When Chadian strongman Idris Derby was assasinated, the Chadian military appointed his son as President,

..enraging Chads parliament and the African Union. Thousands of Chadians took to the streets in protest, 22 protesters were gunned down by the army. The African Union condemned the killing of pro democracy protesters and unconstitutional power grab.

Emmanual Macron said ..to quote verbatim

QUOTE

Democracy can wait. The stability of Chad is of our immediate concern. France will not tolerate any threat to Chad.

END QUOTE.

When Asimi Goita carried out another coup de etat in Mali in 2021 and ECOWAS threatened to expel Mali from the regional bloc, again Macron called ECOWAS threats hasty saying time was needed to organize a smooth transition of power.

Asimi Goiya goes rogue and pivots to Russia for military assistance. Suddenly the same Macron now publicly questions the legitimacy of the Malian government overseeing a transition to elections and threatens Asimi Goita not to derail the democratic process in Mali.

France that has accommodated military juntas elsewhere in West Africa has turned a sharp corner. Suddenly democracy can no longer wait.

Enter Guinea.

Months after Colonel Mamady Doumbouya seized power in Guinea, France is still curiously maintained radio silence. Heres why.

Colonel Mamady Doumbouya is a Corporal in the French army yet a General in the Guinean army. His wife is French. He has a French passport. The leader of Guinea is a French citizen, and a Corporal in the French army. The First Lady of Guinea is French.

His loyalty is with France not Guinea. He will likely never step down. The perpetuation of France's colonial relationship with Africa by subtle means continues unabated.

It will be fool hardy to ignore French activities in West Africa thinking its none of Nigeria's business.

France’s speedy accommodation and support of military strongmen is bound to inspire other wannabes in Francophone Africa. Doumbouya was among those paying close attention. Doumbouta and Mali’s Assimi Goita both participated in a 2019 French led military exercise in Burkina Faso

Funny enough, when Alpha Conde illegally carried out a constitutional amendment to allow himself a third term, the French leader blasted him for this power grab, Alpha Conde naively reckoned forgiveness would follow. After all, Macron had no qualms about congratulating the

Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara for having secured a third term with the help of some constitutional jiggery pokery. Instead a Corporal in the French army outsed him in a bloodless coup. Go figure.

France wants to be a global power and francophone West Africa

has provided him with opportunities to furnish his international stature. This explains why Macron was leery of antagonizing the new rulers of Mali, Chad and now Guinea. But we are playing with fire here and Nigeria cannot afford to play a passive role.

But by handing out yet another free pass to a military strongman, Macron is in effect inviting others to take advantage of his weak hand. This means several other leaders in francophone West Africa region will now be looking nervously over their shoulders. A coup is imminent.

The democratic retrenchment in francophone West Africa is at the very least an embarrassment of ECOWAS..