For January 29, 2024, di three kontris wey military regime dey rule don tell Cedeao say dem wan comot "sharp sharp". But di law wey dey guide di West African organization talk say dem go need wait one year before e go fit happen.
So, na dis Wednesday e go finally happen, as di three kontris no gree answer Cedeao call to extend di time by six months to find solution. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger don join body under one confederation wey dem call Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Dem dey accuse Cedeao say dem put "wicked, illegal, and unfair" sanctions on top dem head afta di coups wey carry dem enter power.
Dem still talk say Cedeao no help dem well to fight di jihadist wahala and say di organization dey follow France hand waka. Di former colonial master don turn enemy for di junta dem, as dem dey look Russia, Turkey, and Iran side for partnership now.
- Cedeao don weak -
Di break-up start afta Niger coup for July 2023, when Cedeao threaten say dem go use military force to bring back di president wey dem remove and dem put heavy economic sanctions for Niamey. But di sanctions don later comot.
Di three kontris go start to use dia own common passport from Wednesday and dem don announce say dem go soon get one joint army of 5,000 soldiers to fight jihadists. Even though people fit still waka free between di two regions, di comot of di three kontris go get impact.
Dis kain move go "weaken Cedeao for how dem fit handle political crisis for di region," na wetin Gilles Yabi, wey be founder of West African think tank Wathi, talk. Now, AES and some Cedeao kontris dey look demsef like cat and dog.
Niger no gree open dia border with Benin, as dem accuse dem say jihadists dey train for dia side. Dem still talk say Nigeria dey "help destabilize" dem, but di two coastal kontris don deny di matter.
- Togo and Ghana dey try settle matter -
For di sub-region, di diplomatic game don change, and Togo dey play mediator role. Dia port for Lomé dey help supply di AES kontris wey no get sea. Togo Foreign Minister, Robert Dussey, talk say dem fit even join AES.
Gilles Yabi talk say Togo dey look di short-term benefit and economic gain, but e go "weaken Cedeao." If Togo join AES, e go make people dey wonder how Cedeao go survive, na wetin Rinaldo Depagne from International Crisis Group talk.
AES dey try convince oda kontris say Cedeao no dey work and say dem be better option. Dem sabi say dem no fit survive alone, na wetin one Western diplomat talk. Ghana new president, John Dramani Mahama, sef dey show interest for AES.
Since e enter office for January 7, e don meet Burkina junta leader Ibrahim Traoré and Mali Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga. E don even appoint special envoy for AES. But di question be whether Ghana fit dey with AES and Cedeao at di same time, na wetin Rinaldo Depagne dey ask.
- "Cedeao for di people" -
Dis break-up don make people dey talk say Cedeao suppose go back to focus on economic matter and leave democracy and law principles. Gilles Yabi believe say bilateral relationship go still dey to keep economic ties and handle security challenges.
Di jihadist violence wey don kill plenty people for Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso don spread reach coastal kontris like Benin and Togo. Everybody sabi say Cedeao need reform to become "Cedeao for di people."
AES fit be like one testing ground for dis new idea, na wetin one former West African minister wey dey close to di Sahel junta dem talk.
