Thread by @DefenseNigeria

Paul Melly, of the think-tank at Chattam House, London is coming to the defence of France by trying to blame ECOWAS. These guys are so out of touch.

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A growing number of young people regard the ECOWAS as an incumbent presidents' club, too slow to criticise civilian

rulers who manipulate rules and unwilling to acknowledge the strength of popular support for promising reform. So in backing Ecowas as the legitimate African crisis management institution, France ends up being perceived as a prop for the old guard establishment.

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This is Paul Melly trying to paint France as the victim. Unfairly targeted. His views are an embodiment of how out of touch European powers are as regards Africa. The narrative is always the same " its the corrupt African governments. Its the Africans.

He said "French President Emmanuel Macron has increased aid to the continent, begun the return of cultural artefacts stolen during the colonial wars and reached out beyond the usual inter-government ties to engage younger generations and civil society. So what is the problem?"

This again is an embodiment of how ignorant these so called "experts of African affairs" are. Lets continue.

"This year he flew to Rwanda to publicly acknowledge French failures during the 1994 genocide.
Yet his country is now the target of embittered African complaints

and criticism on a scale that is probably unprecedented."

Need i point out the arrogance? He is invariably saying France has every right to remain firmly rooted in Africa its unfair to close its doors to Paris, afterall he has returned stolen artifacts, apologised to Rwanda..

..and acknowleged French misdeeds of the past..so whats the problem?.

Its almost like France is making a legitimate claim to prime real estate in Africa. If Mali or Burkinafaso or any other country wants to severe ties with Paris and look towards other options,

..why in the world is that a problem? . Its gotten to a point France is openly trying to impose "a new era of relationship" on African countries that are not keen.

Now, to the incredible statement that prompted this thread...an outrageous statement that borders on insanity.

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Yet a significant proportion of local public opinion feels that France, as a high-tech Western military power, should have been able to "sort" the problem and should now get out of the way if it cannot do so.

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Paul Melly is tacitly saying Africans have an unrealistic expectation from France. And we are ungrateful for wanting to cut ties with Paris.

What we are witnessing folks is a colonial power making its claim on why it has every right to remain firmly entrenched in Africa

Africans are not capable of handing their affairs, especially as regards foreign policy. They are better equiped to make the determination for us.

The irony of it is that they are doing the exact same thing they are accusing Russia of doing in Ukraine.

France is saying it must maintain its military bases in Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Senegal because of real concern about jihadist efforts to infiltrate the countries on the West African coast. Herein lies the core of the problem. If French military presence

..in the region is dependent upon the jihadi threat then it means peace and stability will be terrible for Paris. There will be no justification for French forces to remain in the region, and since the withdrawal of French forces will lead to France losing influence

..in a region vital for the survival of the France. It will be disastrous. France will fall into a 3rd rate power.

How do you prevent this doomsday scenario?

Simple. Make sure the jihadi threat NEVER evaporates. This means they will do everything within their power

..to make sure regional terrorist groups are not defeated. It must never be allowed to happen. There is no way in the world a terrorist group that has been outlawed in the region can hold their own against the combined might of the Nigerian, Cameroonian, Nigeriene

Malian Chadian military. Impossible. Throw into the mix four U.S drone bases, six French drone bass, a French air base in Chad housing Rafale fighters. A French base in Niger housing Mirage 2000 fighters. It is beyond ridiculous to think any militant group can

..hold its own against this almost incomprehensible amount of power for a decade. As crazy as it is already it doesn't end there.

An entire military alliance, the G-5 Sahel was created by the French for the sole purpose of Boko Haram and Sahel militants.

This military alliance has 5,000 French troops stationed in Mali. A seperate a base housing two Squadron of Mirage 2000 fighters in Chad.

Yet the security situation has deteriorated to unprecedented levels. We are supposed to believe Boko Haram/ISWAP can hold its ground

..in the face of this incredible array of military power.

In July one senior Sahel military officer said he sees the French as allies of Tuareg former separatist rebels in northern Mali. An allegation fiercely denied in Paris.

How about in November 2019, when an angry Emmanual Macron summoned the leaders of Burkina faso, Mali, Niger and Mauritania to Paris to explain growing anti-French sentiments.

The hard truth many people are afraid to admit is that France needs these terrorist groups

..to remain active in the region. It is the only way France can justify its continius military presence in Africa. For this reason terrorism will never end in the region. Big, rich and powerful countries like Nigeria can take care if its self. Francophone countries are trapped.

Their culture has been stolen from them, and with that that sense of pride and independence you find in English speaking countries is non-existent. They are helplessly dependent. It will take generations to build that can do spirit necessary for real independence.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Africa will never know peace. Terrorism will never end and our francophone brothers will never be free from slavery until France is kicked out of Africa for good.

Paul Melly claims Macron is in deep waters because it supports

ECOWAS as a legitimate crises management entity. First of all what does that even mean? The same country that hijacked the ECOWAS single currency project the ECO, persuaded them to peg it to the CFA and, in a bizzare twist turned member countries against Nigeria?