FRANCE APPOINTS WINE THIEF AS NIGERIA AMBASSADOR

France’s appointment of Marc Fonbaustier as ambassador to Nigeria may indicate a strategic plan by France to exert influence in West Africa, particularly in light of recent setbacks in the Sahel region. Fonbaustier’s controversial past, including smearing a journalist in Benin who was jailed for his reporting and the theft of expensive wines in Hong Kong, also raises concerns about whether he is even fit for the role at all.

France has faced significant challenges in the Sahel, with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger expelling French military forces and closing diplomatic missions. These actions have hurt French interests, including the loss of access to valuable resources like uranium. Statements from high-ranking French officials indicate that France is not willing to relinquish its influence in the region and may be planning to destabilise it further.

Nigeria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may be acting as a proxy for France in the region - a suspicion fuelled by his response to the Niger coup in 2023, when regional bloc ECOWAS (headed by him) threatened an invasion.

So is Fonbaustier’s appointment part of a broader strategy by France to regain control and protect its interests in West Africa, using Nigeria as a key player in this effort? Your thoughts in the comments are appreciated.