When the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, was elected as chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) on July 10, he asserted that the organisation would no longer be a “toothless bulldog”. Tinubu insisted that Ecowas would work collectively to combat terrorism and promote democracy in west Africa, explaining:
We must stand firm on democracy. There is no governance, freedom and rule of law without democracy. We will not accept coup after coup in west Africa again. Democracy is very difficult to manage but it is the best form of government.
Within a month, however, the democratically elected leader of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, was overthrown by his own palace guard.
