After former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s intervention resulted in the lifting of some sanctions against Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, Edwin Clark, an aging statesman and former Minister of Information Chief, expressed hope that these countries would rejoin the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This was stated by Clark in a letter he addressed to the outgoing president, praising him for his assistance in reaching a peaceful conclusion to the standoff. The letter, marked “I Salute Your Courage In Speaking Out On ECOWAS Sanctions,” was provided to our reporter.
Gowon’s involvement resulted in the ECOWAS easing some of the sanctions it had put on Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Guinea due to their illegitimate changes in administration.
The three nations said on January 28, 2024, that they were leaving ECOWAS, claiming the organization had been influenced by outside forces and was now a threat to its member nations.
In contrast, Gowon’s bold request that the ECOWAS Heads of State reduce penalties against some of its transgressors was praised by Clark in his letter, who noted that Gowon’s action demonstrated a high sense of responsibility that only an esteemed elder statesman could possess.
“I really hope that your intervention will now allow us to reach a peaceful conclusion within the body, and the three countries will now reverse their previous decisions to leave,” he stated. In his letter, Clark stated, “Please be assured of my unwavering loyalty and friendship.”
During Gowon’s presidency, Clark ministered, and he noted how important a part the previous head of state had in creating the regional organization.
“Knowing the personal efforts you put in towards the formation of the body on May 28, 1975, I am not surprised,” he remarked. You personally engaged every regional and gathered everyone under one roof with tremendous effort and charm. You led obediently in bringing everyone together into one community despite political and linguistic hurdles, particularly because many of them were military officials.
“I remember proudly the opportunity you gave me to travel, as your Commissioner of Information (Minister) and Special Envoy, via Nigerian military aircraft to several nations, such as Senegal, Gambia, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania, in order to encourage your colleagues to attend the Summit, which took place at the Federal Palace Hotel on Victoria Island, Lagos. The Federal Commissioner (Minister) was tasked with taking care of each President or Head of State that attended the Summit at the Federal Palace Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos. The summit was held at the Federal Palace Hotel. Brig. Gen. Murtala Mohammed, the Federal Commissioner for Communication, was tasked with assisting Amilcar Cabral, the radical Head of State of Guinea-Bissau.
The summit was a great success, and I was tasked with working with President Dawda Jawara of the Gambia.
In addition, Clark commended President Bola Tinubu and the ECOWAS leaders for adopting Gowon’s advice and dropping the majority of the sanctions after last Saturday’s session.