MOROCCO'S BID TO JOIN ECOWAS: NIGERIANS FEAR.

There was a headline on a national newspaper publications this week that drew my attention and got me thinking all through this week. It captured Morocco's bid to join the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the fears of Nigeria. So many questions came to my mind and I felt I should ask you to comment on this too.

Why is Morocco now interested in joining ECOWAS after 42 years of its (ECOWAS) existence?

I think joining a regional bloc like ECOWAS is a matter of interest and does not have anything to do with the time. Morocco has every right to seek to join the union since we all know that not all present member-states joined the regional bloc at its creation. Cape Verde joined the union in 1977; and Liberia joined ECOWAS on 16 February, 2010.

Geographically, though more inclined towards the North of Africa, Morocco is relatively close to West Africa. And I do not think that part of the requirements for membership of the union include the geographical location of each member-nation. And if that is not the case, then Morocco can apply for admission into the union and be admitted. Unless it is obviously stated in the Treaty, and not implied by the name, that the union membership is strictly limited to only countries within the supposed West Africa region, Morocco should be considered for admission.

And if the issue of language is indicated, Mauritania was an Arabic-speaking nation and a founding member of ECOWAS until December 2000 when it officially withdrew from the union after indicating its intention in December 1999. Therefore, Morocco should not be discriminated for wanting to join ECOWAS.

There were many objections raised against Morocco's application into ECOWAS by some individuals and institutions in Nigeria in a public hearing organized by House Joint committees on Foreign Relations and Cooperation/Integration in Africa that I would like to share with you. But I encourage you to read from the source of these arguments against Morocco's interest to become a member of ECOWAS.

The objections are:

1. Morocco may constitute a political and economic threat to the region and, particularly, to Nigeria.

2. Morocco does not have a geographical closeness to the region. An attempt to admit it would constitute a breach of ECOWAS' Treaty. This means non-regional membership is disallowed.

3. Morocco will be used as a trade channel to flood Nigerian market with foreign goods from Europe. It was assumed that Morocco was conspiring with the European Union to sabotage Nigerian economy.

4. Morocco will be used as a destructive and destabilizing agent in the region.

5. Morocco will be used to disintegrate Nigeria.

6. The European Union is seeking to use Morocco to achieve its dream of an Economic Partnership Agreement with ECOWAS which Nigeria has always opposed.

7. And much more.

These arguments against Morocco joining ECOWAS will continue here at home, but the final decision to admit Morocco to the union lies with all member-states present. Nigeria may have some veto power over the other members to rule against Morocco's admission, but from all indication, the decision may be subjected to a vote which may favour Morocco's admission into the union. And none of the above arguments will sway that decision.

Why would these individuals and institutions in Nigeria oppose the admission of Morocco into ECOWAS but keep quiet over the bilateral trade relationship with both countries? This appears to me as hypocrisy. We want Morocco as a trade partner but not a member of ECOWAS. Can you imagine it?

I am not for or against the admission of Morocco into ECOWAS. And it is not my intention to dismiss the above arguments. They were based on the mindset of the individuals and institutions with regards to international relationship and unionism. They were entitled to their intellectual opinions, and I am too.

Please, read and opine. We can learn a lot from you too.

Thanks.