The Sahel; A Common Destiny.

The Sahel is a band of territory in Africa that stretches the length of the continent, from the Atlantic coast of Senegal and Mauritania in the west to the Red Sea coast of Eritrea in the east.

The Sahel acts like a buffer or transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the fertile savannahs to the south.

The Sahel was once home to several indigenous African kingdoms. The Sahel literally means "edge" or "border" in Arabic.

It includes parts of northern Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Gambia, Sudan, Mauritania and Eritrea.

It is a zone of transition, between mediterranean and sub-saharan Africa.

Thus, just as it is geographically a transitional zone with a hybridization of sahara and savannah characteristics, so also are its inhabitants who have evolved with the land producing a people heavily influenced by those two tendencies, with geographical closeness determining the degree of socio-cultural affinity.

Indeed, the intrinsic interconnection between humans and their geographical environment cannot be overemphasized. Regardless of their size, the overwhelming majority of people live in particular territories, where they formed a part of the biocenosis of the respective landscape, forming a sort of ‘closed system’ which only in their natural home could a people secure their survival in a healthy manner. Their behavioral stereotype, material culture, economy, and spiritual life are all inextricably tied to the specific environmental conditions of its “ecological niche”. Thus, custodians of that entity.

The Sahel region has historically seen the rise and fall of kingdoms and empires, from the southernmost parts of ancient Egypt, to Axum empire of east Africa, Mali Kingdom of the popular Mansa Musa, Songhai empire, Kanem - Bornu empire, Caliphate of Sokoto etc.

These empires, kingdoms or states ensured security and prosperity for their people, under them, trans-saharan trade flourished, centres of learning that attracted students from far and wide like the legendary Timbuktu, Kano, Borno, Khartoum etc left their marks on sands of time. 

This was mostly the reality of the sahel pre-colonial era. The advent of colonialism upturned the order of things, with many a united people finding themselves arbitrary divided across borders that do not make sense to many of the indigenes.

Also, the extractive nature of colonialism led to a shift in the centre of gravity of the sahelian society, where previously, trans-saharan trade flourished, and with it scholarship, today, all gazes are fixated southward towards the trans-antlantic ocean route.

This has led to a massive socio-cultural and economic disintegration of the region with it leading in many negative indices like poverty, out of school children, maternal mortality etc.

These threats are also exacerbated by climate change, desertification, terrorism, banditry, inter - communal conflicts that threaten to turn the zone into a belt of failed states.

The destiny of this zone is tied together at the hip, with events having a ripple effect on the zone, thus, the zone must understand that their can neither be in the long run isolated prosperity or security.

The lake chad is the beating heart of the sahel, unfortunately, the lake chad has lost about 90% of its size and volume, ecarcebating unemployment, insecurity, poverty and terrorism. The lake chad is the collective heritage of the sahel as Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon are directly linked to it, whilst economic and commerical activities are felt farther away. Recharging this life giving source is of critical importance to security and prosperity of the lake chad region.

Government policies must begin to reflect that, success stories like the Nigeria led MNJTF (Multi national joint task force) which involves Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin being successful in the fight against Boko Haram, ISWAP and other transnational terrorist groups.

This successful template can be replicated across other spheres to serve as panacea for the zones miriad problems.

Cumbersome and irrational Visa and monetary policies have served as barriers to freer movement of people and trade, serving to exacerbate the poverty and insecurity plaguing the region.

Infrastructure that will fascilitate trade and investments, for instance, the Kano - Maraɗi rail, AKK Gas pipeline project can serve as starting points for further integration in the region, creating a more tightly knit zone and also breathe of fresh air in a long suffocated region.

Administrative bottlenecks that serve as barriers to freer movement and connectivity should as a matter national security to each of the states be given highest priority in seeking resolution.

Indeed, with serious and dedicated leadership, the glory of the Sahel can be restored, but for it to be restored, it must have a broad based and collective approach.