A 40-year-old Nigerian, Bishir Dauda, plans a 50-day advocacy and solidarity journey across West African countries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS.

Mr Dauda announced his initiative during a visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Mr Dauda is a pro-democracy activist, human rights defender, pan-Africanist, and executive director of Citizens Participation Against Corruption Initiatives, a non-governmental organisation.

He described the journey as his unique way of honouring ECOWAS’ golden jubilee.

The pan-Africanist highlighted ECOWAS’ remarkable achievements over the past five decades, emphasising the organisation’s resilience and unity  in spite of significant challenges.

According to him, any institution that has endured for 50 years while positively impacting nearly 400 million people deserves recognition.

“Over the past 50 years, ECOWAS has transformed from a mere international organisation into a dynamic community with strong institutions and tangible achievements that continue to benefit the region. One major milestone worth celebrating is the removal of visa restrictions, which has facilitated free movement across member states.

“This has boosted trade, education, tourism, and other activities. As a citizen of the ECOWAS community, I see this advocacy journey as an opportunity to express my appreciation for the organisation’s contributions over the past five decades,” he said.

Mr Dauda, who hails from the Katsina State and a graduate of history from the Umaru Yar’Adua University, disclosed that he would begin the journey on April 1 from Lagos State.

The activist said that during his journey, he would engage with ordinary citizens in the countries he visits, gathering their thoughts on ECOWAS and its achievements.

“I will also use this opportunity to debunk the false narrative being spread by some that ECOWAS is merely a puppet of Western powers,” he said.

Mr Dauda added that he would visit key ECOWAS projects, including the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) in Lomé and the West African Power Pool (WAPP) in Cotonou.

He hopes to also visit the Abidjan-Lagos Highway project and the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan.

As a committed pan-Africanist, Mr Dauda noted that he would also urge fellow West Africans to appeal to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to reconsider their recent withdrawal from ECOWAS.

“I will use this advocacy journey to call on Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to rethink and reverse their decision to leave ECOWAS. Anyone who is truly passionate about African unity and integration will hope to see these countries return to the bloc.

“Part of my mission is to send a message to their military governments, urging them to reconsider because regional integration is crucial for our collective progress,” he said.

Mr Dauda also said that the journey was entirely self-funded, with no financial support from any individual or organisation.

According to him, he plans to document his experiences and insights from the trip in a book, aiming to contribute to the advancement of pan-Africanism.

ECOWAS, founded on May 28, 1975, to promote economic integration and political unity in the subregion, has lined up various activities ahead of its 50th-anniversary celebrations in May.

(NAN)