By Gloria Ikibah
Senior Special Adviser to the President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Oshodi, has warned that lasting democracy in West Africa can only be achieved through strong institutions, credible elections, and consistent regional intervention against unconstitutional takeovers.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 86th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Osodi reacted to the recent wave of coups and attempted coups in the region, stressing that weak governance structures continue to fuel instability. 
“I believe building strong institutions is the key, making sure that laws are respected, the constitution is respected.
“We also need to ensure that elections and everything leading up to elections are handled properly — allowing opposition parties to run, allowing political parties to be available as choices, and importantly ensuring that the process is carried out fairly”, he said
He explained that many military takeovers are driven by public frustration with flawed democratic processes.
“Many of these coups have underlying reasons. In many cases, there is an electorate that feels cheated, so members of the security forces take advantage of that to come to power.
“That is why institutions are important, but it is also important that ECOWAS itself is strengthened”, Oshodi said.
Osodi praised the regional body’s swift response to recent instability in Benin Republic, describing it as a positive step towards defending democrac.
“The intervention in Benin has been well applauded, and I believe that is the way forward to ensure democracy is entrenched in Africa.
“It is important that we do not cancel everything by allowing coups to succeed. We must encourage the democratic process so that each election is better than the last and the cycle continues to improve,” he said.
According to him, regional intervention helps create stability while national actors work to strengthen democratic institutions.
“The intervention by ECOWAS in Benin will keep things stable while the main actors there respect institutions and build on the democracy they already have,” he added.
Addressing concerns over ECOWAS’ financial capacity, especially with fewer active member states and mounting security costs, Osodi acknowledged Nigeria’s dominant role in sustaining the bloc.
“Nigeria is the powerhouse of ECOWAS. It has the largest population and the biggest economy.
“It is similar to the United Nations, where countries like the United States, China and other G7 nations carry much of the burden,” he said.
However, he stressed that other member states must also take responsibility, and noted that while Nigeria’s leadership role is expected, it should not absolve others of their obligations.
“It is only fair and accountable for other countries to play a role in financing ECOWAS.
“It gives them more leverage at the table when decisions are being made. Even though many of these countries are struggling financially, it is important that they respect what they signed up for and make their contributions as much as they can
“If the situation becomes difficult, they can renegotiate. But Nigeria carrying much of the weight is understandable and, in many cases, acceptable”, the Senior Adviser noted.
Osodi therefore restated that collective responsibility, credible governance, and strong institutions remain the only sustainable path to peace and democracy in West Africa.
