Lagos, Nigeria, May 28, 2025
Under the weight of history and the urgency of today, and in the presence of other regional leaders, Nigeria’s current leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the man who ruled the country a half-century ago, General (Rtd) Yakubu Gowon, came together on Wednesday at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), not just as leaders from different eras, but as support to ECOWAS’s 50-year story.
The Economic Community of West African States was born in a different time, one of coups, post-colonial uncertainty, and fragile alliances. Fifty years after its founding, the dreams of ECOWAS’ creators met today’s complex realities as rain fell softly over Lagos. Tinubu, who took over as ECOWAS chairman in 2023, walked alongside Gowon, now the sole surviving architect of the regional bloc. Their joint appearance at the anniversary event spoke volumes about Nigeria’s unbroken connection to the now 12-nation group, even as both Nigeria and the organisation face new challenges.
The scene carried deeper symbolism. Gowon, who led Nigeria during the bloc’s creation in 1975, now stood with its current standard-bearer at a time when ECOWAS faces perhaps its greatest tests. The light rain seemed appropriate for an organisation whose golden anniversary arrives amid both celebration and uncertainty.
The appearance of Tinubu and Gowon at the International Affairs Institute, a foreign policy think tank established in 1961, reflected Nigeria’s long-standing ties to ECOWAS. Broadcast footage from the arrival showed dignitaries lining a rain-dampened red carpet. Inside, discussions turned to ECOWAS’s five-decade journey, its push for economic unity, and the persistent hurdles of peace and security in West Africa.
Gowon’s presence carried particular weight. As Nigeria’s leader from 1966 to 1975, he helped create ECOWAS at a time when the region was still grappling with colonial aftershocks and the wounds of civil conflict, including Nigeria’s own war, had triggered a renewed push to build internal buffers against conflicts. Now 91, his attendance served as a reminder of the bloc’s original ambitions, forged in an era of upheaval and uneven development.
The anniversary presents President Tinubu with a crucial platform to assert Nigeria’s role in ECOWAS, but the timing could not be more delicate. The regional bloc has watched helplessly as military juntas toppled civilian governments in four member states, Guinea, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, exposing its weakening grip on regional stability.
While critics blast the organisation for responding too late, calling on Tinubu to present a more conciliatory face before observers who say his staunch rebuke of the military leadership in the Sahel was a major reason for their exit, today’s commemoration allows Tinubu to redirect attention to what ECOWAS has accomplished. Borders that once divided West Africans now see people and goods flowing freely across them, even if the promised single currency remains frustratingly out of reach after decades of planning.
The subtext is unmistakable – Nigeria needs ECOWAS to work, and ECOWAS needs Nigeria’s leadership now more than ever. But with coups eroding democratic norms across the region and economic integration stalling, Tinubu faces mounting pressure to deliver more than just ceremonial reassurances.
The choice of venue carried its weight. The NIIA, established by Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa’s government, has for generations served as the crucible where Nigeria’s foreign policy gets shaped. Though its prominence has risen and fallen over the years, hosting the ECOWAS anniversary here sent a clear message that Nigeria is doubling down on the diplomatic traditions that first birthed the regional bloc, even as economic headwinds at home and changing regional dynamics test that commitment.
The NIIA’s weathered halls, having witnessed decades of geopolitical strategising, provided fitting backdrop for a moment that demanded both reflection on past principles and clear-eyed assessment of present challenges. In selecting this institution rather than some gleaming new convention center, organisers consciously tied the event to Nigeria’s longstanding intellectual approach to regional leadership, an approach now facing its toughest test in recent times.
As the leaders stepped inside, the rain mirrored the moment—celebratory but cautious. The 50th anniversary, launched earlier in Praia, Cabo Verde, arrives at a pivotal time. For Nigeria, it’s an assertion of its place in West Africa, not just as a dominant force but as a custodian of a vision that, despite setbacks, still holds weight.
With an ECOWAS summit just days away, the gathering felt less about ceremony and more about stance. Nigeria aimed to present itself as a leader ready to tackle the bloc’s crises, while Gowon’s role tied the past to the present. Whether this moment leads to real progress remains uncertain, but for now, it captures a region in flux—with Nigeria at its heart.
