ECOWAS/AU And Nigeria’s Kidnapping.

If a group of Americans were kidnapped anywhere in Sub Saharan Africa like Nigerian students have been, America would be saber-rattling right now and possibly ask African Union to send troops to go free the Americans and African Union would run to do it to show that they are a viable entity. Yet African Union has not found it necessary to even issue a statement in support of the young girls who have been kidnapped in Nigeria.

ECOWAS is eager to issue passports and yet, in yesterday’s news, a headline read, “ECOWAS must pull down regional borders – Mahama”. We have a bunch of “blue suits” who fly around the world from conference to conference and project air of supremacy in their local areas when they go home. Issues affecting Africans in the streets are of no interest to them.

What an opportunity missed. What is going on in Nigeria now is something that has been going on too long and if ECOWAS or AU were interested in the plight of the victims, they would have offered to help long ago. I believe Nigeria needs massive patrol of a wide area in Nigeria to 1, help reduce the incidence of bombing and kidnapping, 2, increase the possibility of officers being nearby when such bombings and kidnappings occur so that there can be rapid response, and 3, communicate suspicious activities to the proper authorities quickly and effectively to help identify those involved in such activities.

To do the above, I believe, will require a large military presence. So far not Ghana, not ECOWAS, not AU, not any other West African country nor any other African country has offered to send troops to Nigeria to help patrol the country. If any country offered, it was either not in the news or I missed it when it was in the new. If it is that I missed it in the news, please accept my apologies. What a shame; the lack of leadership that we have to live with from people who are quick to proclaim their intellectual prowess.

I stand with the young ladies in Nigeria. I will do the only thing that I can do and call for African leaders to get off their rumps. By the way, that includes you President Mahama.

Tony Pobee-Mensah

tpmensahr@yahoo.com