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Mali junta expels French ambassador in fresh bout of tension

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A protester holds a flag of Mali during a demonstration to support Mali on Obelisk Plazza in Dakar, on January 28, 2022. SEYLLOU / AFP

Mali on Monday said it was expelling the French ambassador in the light of “hostile” comments, a move likely to ratchet up tensions with its former colonial ruler and ally following a military coup.

A statement read on national television said, “The ambassador of France in Bamako, his excellency Joel Meyer… was notified of the decision of the government asking him to leave the national territory within 72 hours.”

The move raises further questions over France’s continued military support for Mali, a deeply poor country battling a nearly decade-long jihadist campaign.

The French foreign ministry issued a brief statement saying it “takes note” of the announcement and expressed “solidarity with its European partners” — its allies in the anti-jihadist mission.

Relations between the two countries began to fray after the army seized power in Bamako in August 2020, and worsened after the junta staged a second coup in May 2021.

Last week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters that Mali’s junta was “illegitimate” and its decisions “irresponsible”.

Defence Minister Florence Parly also accused the country’s rulers of stepping up “provocations” of France.

Monday’s statement in Bamako said remarks had been made that were “hostile and outrageous”, and had been uttered “despite repeated protests” by Mali.

“The Malian government vigorously condemns and rejects these remarks, which are contrary to the development of friendly relations between nations,” it said.

However, it added, the Malian government “reiterates its readiness to maintain dialogue and pursue cooperation with all its international partners, including France, in mutual respect and on the basis of the cardinal principle of non-interference.”

Meyer, the French ambassador, was appointed to Bamako in October 2018.

Coup sparked friction

Rebel officers led a coup in August 2020 that toppled Mali’s elected leader Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was facing angry protests at failures to stem the jihadists.

The following May, the junta pushed out a civilian-led government appointed to oversee a transition period and named strongman Colonel Assimi Goita as interim president.

By year’s end, France and its European allies were alarmed at the junta’s reported decision to hire mercenaries from the Russian paramilitary group Wagner.

France — which stages presidential elections in April — repeatedly warned that it would be untenable for its forces to fight alongside unaccountable mercenaries.

Russian “advisors” in the Central African Republic have been accused of carrying out abuses of civilians.

Tensions have also risen since the West Africa bloc ECOWAS imposed a trade embargo and

The sanctions followed a junta proposal to stay in power for up to five years before staging

border closures with Mali on January 9, in a move backed by France, the United States and the European Union.

The sanctions followed a junta proposal to stay in power for up to five years before staging elections, despite an earlier commitment to hold a vote by the end of February 2022.

French pullback

As friction worsened last year, France started scaling back 5,100-man Barkhane Sahel operation and pulling out of some bases in northern Mali.

Its goal is to halve the contingent by the summer of 2023, but central to the plan is a French-led European force called Takuba that would shoulder some of the strain.

Under it, European allies are committing special forces to help train and fight alongside Malian units.

But Takuba has also hit problems with Mali.

Last week, the junta demanded that Denmark withdraw its newly arrived contingent of some 90 soldiers, claiming it had deployed without authorisation — a charge Copenhagen denied.

On Twitter, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said the ambassador’s expulsion was “unacceptable” and his country “stands in full solidarity with France.”

“Such irresponsible behaviour is not what we expect from Mali, (which will (lose) international credibility,” Kofod warned.

France’s army chief, General Pierre Schill, declined to comment on future French deployments.

“The Sahel question is overwhelmingly political,” he told reporters. “Today, on a daily basis, our units are continuing their partnership with Malian battalions.”

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Oyo South: Tegbe, Others Named Oseni Students’ Movement Exco

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A students’ leader, Comrade Tegbe Stephen, has been named Coordinator of the Remi Oseni Students’ Movement ahead of its formal inauguration.

The appointment is part of efforts to strengthen the students’ support base for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Oyo South Senatorial candidate, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, across tertiary institutions in the district.

Also named into the executive are Comrades Wale Ajibike (Bosslee), Isiaka Hammed (General), Salami Olatunji, Adetunji Sultan Adekunle, Oluwatobi Ojo and Onifade Victor.

The announcement was made during a strategic meeting with student leaders in Ibadan. The meeting was attended by the Oyo South APC Youth Leader, Com. Olalekan Olowe, and Oseni’s Personal Assistant, Com. Ibrahim Alabi, popularly known as “Otunba Poly.”

Addressing the gathering, Olowe described the movement as a platform to mobilise students across Oyo South, urging the newly named executive to live up to the confidence reposed in them.

He said: “Students remain one of the strongest forces in any democratic society. We expect you to build a vibrant movement that will unite your colleagues and advance the vision of Hon. Aderemi Oseni across our campuses.”

Olowe added that the executive would be formally inaugurated in the coming weeks, after which the movement would commence full activities across the senatorial district.

Also speaking, Ibrahim Alabi urged the student leaders to remain committed, united and focused on the responsibility entrusted to them.

“This is a call to service. Your duty is to mobilise, educate and inspire students to play active roles in the democratic process. We believe you have the capacity to justify this confidence,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the executive, Tegbe thanked Oseni and the students’ leadership for the opportunity to serve, assuring them of their commitment to the assignment.

“We appreciate the confidence reposed in us and will not take it for granted. Our resolve is to build a formidable students’ movement across Oyo South and ensure that students on every campus are actively mobilised ahead of the election,” he said.

The formal inauguration of the executive is expected to be held soon.

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Oseni celebrates Oyo APC Publicist,  Sadare, extols loyalty, commitment to progressive cause

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Oyo State Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Wasiu Olawale Sadare, on the occasion of his birthday, describing him as a loyal progressive, effective communicator and committed party stalwart whose contributions have continued to strengthen the party in the state.

Oseni, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, said Sadare has remained a consistent and dependable voice of the party, discharging his responsibilities with professionalism, integrity and an unwavering commitment to the ideals of the All Progressives Congress.

He noted that the Oyo APC spokesman has distinguished himself through responsible public communication, constructive engagement and an enduring commitment to promoting the party’s vision, values and programmes.

According to the chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Sadare’s humility, calm disposition and ability to articulate the party’s position with clarity have earned him the respect of party leaders, members and stakeholders, while also contributing to the unity and stability of the APC in Oyo State.

“Alhaji Wasiu Olawale Sadare is a committed progressive whose loyalty and dedication to our great party have remained steadfast over the years. He has served with uncommon diligence and has continued to project the ideals of the APC with dignity, courage and sincerity,” Oseni said.

The lawmaker added that the publicist’s birthday presents another opportunity to celebrate a man whose service has gone beyond official responsibility, noting that his contributions to strengthening internal cohesion and fostering constructive engagement within the party deserve commendation.

“As you mark another year today, I join your family, friends, political associates and the entire progressive family in celebrating God’s faithfulness in your life. Your commitment to duty, humility and sense of responsibility continue to inspire many within our party.”
Oseni prayed for greater accomplishments for the celebrant, asking Almighty Allah to bless him with good health, wisdom and renewed strength to continue serving the party and humanity.

“I pray that Almighty Allah grants you many more years in sound health, abundant grace and greater accomplishments. May He continue to guide your steps, enlarge your coast and reward your selfless service to our great party, Oyo State and our nation. Happy birthday, and many happy returns.”
The statement added that Oseni wished Sadare a memorable celebration and expressed confidence that his wealth of experience, dedication and leadership would continue to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the APC and the advancement of progressive politics in Oyo State.

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Oyo lawmaker, Oseni empowers Agbeni traders with ₦50m grant, rallies support for Tinubu

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Oyo South, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, on Friday strengthened his grassroots engagement with traders by presenting a ₦50 million business grant to members of the Agbeni Amunigun Traders Association in Ibadan.

The empowerment package is expected to benefit traders across the market, which cuts across Ibadan North-West and Ibadan South-West Local Government Areas of Oyo State.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, also donated ₦5 million towards the completion of the association’s secretariat. He further pledged to install solar-powered streetlights within the market to improve security and make the business environment more conducive.

Speaking during an interactive meeting with the association’s leaders, executives and representatives of its 15 zones, the lawmaker described traders as key drivers of the local economy, saying they deserved continuous support to grow their businesses and improve their standard of living.

He also appealed to the traders to sustain their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing confidence that the economic reforms introduced by the administration would deliver lasting benefits for the country.

“The decisions taken by President Tinubu were difficult, but they were necessary. Today, fuel queues are gone, states and local governments receive higher allocations, and more resources are available for infrastructure, education, healthcare and other development projects, including the regular payment of salaries,” he said.

Oseni highlighted ongoing road rehabilitation projects, interventions in the health sector, agricultural support initiatives and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as some of the programmes making a difference under the current administration.

He noted that the student loan scheme had opened up access to higher education for many young Nigerians, while other economic reforms were laying a solid foundation for sustainable growth.

Looking ahead, Oseni promised that if elected to represent Oyo South in the Senate in 2027, he would facilitate an interest-free revolving loan scheme for traders. He said the programme would be jointly managed by the market leadership and a reputable microfinance bank to ensure genuine traders had access to affordable credit.

“I will continue to support policies and programmes that help small and medium-scale businesses thrive because traders remain the engine of our economy. My goal is to create opportunities that will help your businesses expand and improve the welfare of your families,” he said, assuring the association that the requests presented to him would receive prompt attention.

Earlier, the Babaloja of the market, Alhaji Abdul-Latifu Abdulganiyu; the Baale, Alhaji Muniru Oladayo; the General Chairman of the market, Alhaji Nureni Lawal; the Iyaloja’s representative, Alhaja Basirat Owolanwa; and the youth representative, Alhaji Adeyinka Basiru, praised Oseni for his consistent support for traders and other community-based empowerment programmes.

The market leaders unanimously endorsed his senatorial ambition and pledged to mobilise support for his 2027 bid, saying his record of empowerment, constituency projects and community development had earned him the confidence of the people.

 

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