ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the baseline for our analysis. The use of ontological security, developed over the last ten years in International Relations, has proved helpful in better understanding the emotional reasons behind the apprehensions and fears of African citizens. An ontological security approach allows us to unveil how fears and anxieties influence groups and states and to understand the psycho-socio-political effects that shape political movements and policy debate at the African security level. This chapter traces the history and phases of security evolution in West Africa. The relevance of this chapter lies in its engagement with the issue of context in the securitization process. It moves away from the universal application which the idea of securitization has been subjected to because of the adaption from the speech-act. It is rather situated as a context-specific innovation. This is very important in the context of political culture of neo-patrimonialism.
