Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to undergo urgent reforms.
Fayemi made the call on Friday during the second edition of the African Political Square and the Experts’ Meeting on Alternative Futures for ECOWAS at 50, hosted in partnership with the African Leadership Centre (ALC), CODESRIA, and WATHI, in Abuja.
He argued that ECOWAS, in its present structure, is not equipped to adequately address the pressing challenges of poverty, inequality, weak governance, and insecurity confronting West Africa.
He noted that the current state of ECOWAS calls for serious reflection on how the bloc can transition from an elite-driven body to a truly people-centered institution. According to him, issues such as poverty, inequality, governance gaps, and insecurity cannot be adequately tackled by ECOWAS in its present structure.
Fayemi emphasized the urgent need for a people-focused model — one that listens to and addresses the real concerns of everyday West Africans, rather than prioritizing only the interests of political leaders.