By Philemon Amos

President Bola Tinubu was elected Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States Authority of the Heads of State and Government over the weekend.

Tinubu, who attended the forum of West African leaders for the first time at the 63rd Ordinary Session was formally elected as the Chairman In Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau.

Tinubu succeeded President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau as the leader of the sub-regional political and economic body.

Tinubu will be responsible for guiding the ECOWAS member states toward economic growth, political stability, and cooperation in his capacity as chairman.

However, Tinubu is not the first Nigerian president to emerge as chairman of the sub-regional African body.

Here is a list of Nigerian Presidents who have chaired ECOWAS and the period they lead the body:

1: Gen Yakubu Gowon – Founding Chair – 1972

2: Olusegun Obasanjo – 1978–1979

3: Muhammadu Buhari – 1985 – 27 August 1985

4: Ibrahim Babangida – 27 August 1985 – 1989

5: Sani Abacha – 27 July 1996 – 8 June 1998

6: Abdulsalami Abubakar – 9 June 1998 – 1999

7: Umaru Musa Yar’Adua – 19 December 2008 – 18 February 2010

8: Goodluck Jonathan – 18 February 2010 – 17 February 2012

9: Muhammadu Buhari – 31 July 2018 – 29 June 2019

10: Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria 9 July 2023 till date