Ijaw leader Chief Edwin Clark has actually applauded previous Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon for promoting the conservation of the unity of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Gen. Gowon just recently interested ECOWAS Heads of Governments, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to raise sanctions on Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic, which were enforced following military interventions in the member-states.
Clark, in an open letter to Gen. Gowon entitled “I Salute Your Courage in Speaking Out on ECOWAS Sanctions,” revealed pride in Gowon’s efforts to avoid the disintegration of ECOWAS. He applauded Gowon for his sense of duty as a revered senior statesman and highlighted Gowon’s individual efforts in forming ECOWAS in 1975.
The letter states, “I am not shocked, understanding the individual efforts that you put in towards the development of the body on 28th May 1975. With fantastic efforts and charm, you personally engaged all the local and brought everybody under one roofing system.”
Clark remembered Gowon’s management in unifying varied local entities, getting rid of language barriers, and political bias amongst military officers. He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other ECOWAS leaders for hearkening Gowon’s counsel, leading to the elimination of the majority of sanctions following the current top on February 24, 2024.
The letter concludes with hope that Gowon’s intervention will result in a friendly resolution within ECOWAS, triggering the 3 nations to reevaluate their choices to leave the company.