Int’l Peace Day:’Only Purposeful, Accountable Leadership Can End Military Coups In Africa’ – Prof. Asogwa

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As African nations continue to fall to Military coups in recent times, the Director, Institute For Peace, Conflict, Development Studies IPCDS, Enugu state university of Science and Technology (ESUT), Enugu state, professor Felix Asogwa, has posited that such actions may continue, unless political leaders in the continent embraces accountable and purposeful leadership.

He therefore, urged African Leaders to deliver accountable and purposeful leadership to foster peaceful coexistence in their respective nations.

The University Don, insisted that only accounatable and peoples oriented leadership is the way out for the Incessant Military take over in the continent which he noted has been ravaged by abject poverty.

Professor Asogwa, who spoke to Newsmen in Enugu weekend on the occasion of this year’s International Day For Peace, noted that it is a special day designated by the United Nations (UN) to promote peace across the globe.

He stated that the IPCDS which is a regional institute, was established to deepen research in peace through different programmes has continued to grow from strength to strength and has really impacted positively in Enugu and entire Southeast Nigeria.

Commenting on the rising cases of military coups in Africa and insecurity, he insisted that there was need for leaders of the continent to rise up and tackle poverty head long , stressing that it was not good for Africa to be rated as poverty capital.

The university professor, equally frowned at the weaponisation of poverty by African leaders, pointing out that it has created a very unfortunate environment for peace.

According to the Enugu state born renowned professor of international relations, said most times, military coups occur as a result of civilian coups, adding that some African leaders use all kinds of means to emerge against the wishes of the people.

He noted that what recently happened in Niger Republic clearly shows that people were not happy with the country’s ruler, stressing that so many countries in Africa are not happy with their rulers.

Professor Asogwa however, warned that untill there is accountable leadership, more African countries will continue to fall to military take over.

He said: “the only way out is through accountable leadership and good governance. Purposeful leadership is the only way out” he stated.

Our Correspondent reports that the 2023 International peace day has as it :theme, “Action for peace our Ambition for global goal”.

Professor added : “We are here today to deepen the course of peace especially in the Southeast region. The theme of this year’s celebration, “Action for peace our ambition for global goal” was chosen to underscore our individual and collective responsibility in fostering peace in all different corners of the world.

“To that extent it serves as a reminder for our commitment to peace, no violence and conflict resolution for a more secure and peaceful world.

“In that extent, the Institute for peace, conflict and development Studies are in line with UN resolutions on peace development as the advocacy for peace has also been marketing the virtues of peace through research, advocacy and many other ways.

“The institute was created to deepen the peace in the area of research and development through its programmes.

“Rising threat of Insecurity and Military coup in Africa is as a result of mass poverty caused by the civilian government in Africa.

“Poverty is quite inimical to the pursuit of peace advocacy. Poverty is now being used as a weapon for the African to continue their dominance over the rest of other people and that has created a very viable sustainable environment for peace.

“The cause of the insecurity threat and military coup is the leadership deficit of African leaders. You can hardly see a typical leader in Africa that you can refer to as a leader not as a ruler.

“Military coup arises because there was earlier civilian coup by most of these African leaders, stressing that what goes on in most of the African Nation’s in the name of democratic election really do not meet the objective or criteria of election under democratic means.

“They use all manner of weapons to ensure they emerge winners even against the will of the people and to the extent that amount to coup, civilian coup.

“Most often those people who came in through such coup won’t even be mindful of people’s welfare. They are more interested in their regime security, immediate family and other associates.

“To that extent it will create a crisis of development, peace and so on and that’s why the military easily catches on to it and overthrows the civilian coup plotters with their own coup and that’s why you see celebration in country’s that military takes over.

“Until we have accountable leadership to counter dictatorial African leaders, military coup will continue, it will be unavoidable.

“I am envisaging that more African countries will fall to military coup. In other words the only option as rightly asked for the solution to the rising threat of insecurity and military coup in Africa is through accountable government and purposeful leadership.

“African leaders should learn from the mistakes of the past, unless such mistakes are corrected, coup will continue to happen. Good governance and purposeful leadership is the way out of the threat.

“Worrisome thing is that most of the African leaders come under the fray of Western interest. The western countries will cajole them and they know that the democracy in Africa is turning far below global standard, yet they continue romancing with them because they protect the Western interest in our mineral resources.

“All African leaders are stooges of the imperialist West and unless there is a paradigm shift where responsible leaders, accountable leaders and leaders that are not accountable to the western leaders but to their people and country emerge in Africa, military coup will be the other of the day.

“My message therfore to Africans, Nigeria leaders inclusive is to appreciate the fact that there is no option to peace other than having a massive development and aside development, there will be an insurmountable crisis because the way forward of individuals is paramount to the sustainable peace.

“So, leaders should be responsible and accountable enough to their People and the people should be proactive enough in holding their leaders accountable and that’s the only way peaceful coexistence will be guaranteed in Africa.

Professor Asogwa maintained that no nation, whether developed or developing such as Nigeria can record any meaningful feat in an atmosphere of crisis and Insecurity as presently being witnessed in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Administration officer of the institute, Mr. Chiedozie Nwafor, had read out to the Journalists the history and information about the Institute which commenced operation in 2019, advising them to embrace its Programmes.

Professor Asogwa told the Journalists how the African peace initiative began in Accra Ghana, via the initiative of the West African Network for peace building (WANEP), a leading regional peace building organization founded in 1988 in response to Civil wars that plagued West Africa in the 1990s.

The Director said that as a multi- disciplinary field of study and practice, it stands to serve Nigeria and Africa by equipping practitioners, scholars, students and Stakeholders with requisite intellectual and research skills.

Professor Asogwa, added that fundamentally, the institute offers Msc Degree in peace and conflict Studies, Msc in peace and conflict Management (MPCM), Executive as well as Doctor of Philosophy PhD in in peace and conflict Studies.