In an era of an increasingly rising decline in the democratic experiment and continued citizens’ demand for good governance and security in West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is currently faced with its greatest ontological crisis in nearly 50 years of its existence in the region. Against the backdrop of a lofty vision of democratically sustainable, secure and prosperous West Africa that seems to be failing, "Rethinking Civil Society Regionalism in Africa" by Dele Kogbe emerges as a critical and timely account of the historical role of the West African citizens and their societies in the evolution of democratic and peacebuilding processes in the ECOWAS region. This insightful and penetrative account delves into the intricate challenges and opportunities presented by civil society's role within the ECOWAS at the local, national and regional levels in collectively responding to the democratic and security governance crisis in the region.
Drawing on a wide rage of regional practices in the study of world regions such as the European Union (EU), the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the East African Community (EAC), the South African Development Community (SADC, and the West African case studies (WACSOF & WANEP), with interdisciplinary perspectives, Dr Kogbe presents a compelling narrative that redefines our understanding of regional integration and civic participation in Africa. From grassroots activism to the corridors of regional power, the book sheds light on the complex dynamics at play and offers visionary strategies for the West African states and citizens for fostering more inclusive and effective regional governance.
Whether you are a scholar, policymaker, or activist, this book will challenge your assumptions and inspire new approaches to building sustainable peace and democracy in West Africa. Join us as we celebrate the launch of a work that promises to shape the future of African regional governance, regional civil society agency, comparative regionalism and regional policy-making for years to come.
Author:
Dr Dele Kogbe is a visiting research fellow at the University of South Wales, UK, Adjunct Faculty Member of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria, Abuja, and co-convenor of the British International Studies Association – Africa Working Group from June 2020 – June 2024. He has taught politics and international relations at the University of Dundee, where he co-founded Dundee Africa Research Network. Shortly after completing his PhD, Dr Kogbe returned to the Federal Civil Service of Nigeria to serve at least for a minimum of two years as part of the conditions of his Presidential Scholarship Bond. Within the last three years, he co-led the critical public service reform initiatives in Nigeria and contributed significantly to the conceptualisation of the new reform document- the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP25) and the framework for the Performance Tracking used for its implementation across Federal Ministries, Extra-Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria. The nature of his work made him an internal consultant unofficial on various reforms. He has trained over ten thousand civil servants in over 20 MDAs. He was one of the panelists that examined and graded the research projects of the 2023 cohort of the public service talent scheme for future leaders otherwise known as the Leadership Advancement and Development Programme (LEAD-P). Dr Kogbe has also served as an examiner on a PhD Viva Examination Committee in the UK university.
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