The Sahel War, Tinubu’s Niger Threat and Nigeria’s Broken Politics - Fayemi Explains

From the deserts of the Sahel to the corridors of power in Abuja, Dr. Kayode Fayemi paints a troubling picture of a region sliding deeper into instability while political leaders struggle to grasp the complexity of the crisis. The former Governor of Ekiti State and author of If This Giant Must Rise argues that President Bola Tinubu’s threat to invade Niger Republic reflected an insufficient understanding of the historical, political and security realities shaping the Sahel. Fayemi examines the rise of jihadi insurgencies across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, calling for strategic depth to tackle insecurity in the volatile region. He explains how weak governance, poverty, foreign interference and disillusionment with political elites created fertile ground for coups and extremism across West Africa. Turning inward, Fayemi delivers a blunt assessment of Nigeria’s political class, accusing leaders across generations of failing the people and deepening distrust in democratic governance. It is a conversation about power, insecurity, leadership failure and the dangerous consequences of ignoring the lessons emerging from the Sahel.