Nigeria, April 25 -- Despite its 'overarching' achievements over the past 50 years (half a century) since its establishment, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the 12-member regional bloc, has undoubtedly multitude of noticeable challenges especially during this time of rapidly reconfiguration of the world. In the context of shifting global powers, ECOWAS has to undergo serious restructuring and reforms, review its strategies as well as multidimensional development questions across the region.

After marking ECOWAS @ 50, pertinent issues such as 'unity and solidarity' and managing 'political diversity' stand prominently in order to ensure urgently regional security, an ingredient necessary for undertaking and tackling...