Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas
Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas’ 75th birthday was marked with a symposium on the security of the continent at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Accra, last Saturday.
An array of experts on security on the continent were selected from Nigeria and Ghana to address the theme “Inclusive Peace-building, Local Agency and Multilevel Governance: Strengthening Community Resilience and Regional Partnerships for Sustainable Peace in West Africa and the Sahel.”
With Prof. Kwesi Aning of the KAIPTC moderating, the programme was not boring.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, expressed concern about the spectre of instability sweeping across the West African sub-region, observing however that for now it is Senegal and Ghana which are showing traits of stability, pointing out that Nigeria was spared a coup recently. As for Guinea Bissau, he said it is a coup-prone country.
Togo, he noted, now has Eyadema II ruling the country, pointing out that Burkina Faso whose junta leader does not speak English has an AI-generated image of him speaking the language to the youth in the sub-region in an inciting fashion.
West Africa, he said, is suffering from a deteriorating quality leadership, explaining that the days of the Nkrumahs and Obasanjos are long gone.
The countries of the sub-region are spending less on social services as they do for others, adding that more has to be done about the economies of the countries in the sub-region to cement stability. He concluded that the challenge of restoring quality leadership in the sub-region is a challenge for all, and not Dr. Chambas.
Dr. Linda Darkwa of the University of Ghana, Legon, when she took her turn, said leaders who rig to win elections would not be qualified to be considered for mediatory roles as would those who abuse the human rights of citizens by jailing them.
She dazzled the audience with her knowledge about the security situation in the West African sub-region.
The Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council, Dr. George Amoh, eulogised Dr. Chambas whose ability to transcend the religious and ethnic divide as he undertakes his roles in both Ghana and within the sub-region is commendable. “As a Muslim, he sends messages to Christians. He has exhibited a high level of tolerance in his work.”
The Chambas’ Module, as he described Dr. Chambas’ approach to his mediatory role, he said, is worthy of emulation. He recommended scholars to consider writing thesis on the Chambas’ Module.
Dr. Kwesi Aning suggested the institutionalising of a prize for students of the KAIPTC who would write about the Chambas’ Module in managing security challenges confronting the continent.
In his vote of thanks, Dr. Chambas took a swipe at the demeaning remarks made about Africans with little or no reaction to counter these. All we want in Africa, he said, is peace and to live in dignity.
Present during the programme were Council of State members Alhaji Mohammed Alhassan, Ms. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, chiefs and members of the Yoruba community among many others.
The programme was put together by friends of Dr. Chambas in Nigeria and was crowned with a dinner at the Alisa Hotel.
Dr. Chambas is currently the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns. He was previously the UN Representative for West Africa between 2014 and 2021. Between 2002 and 2010, he was President of ECOWAS Commission.