Banana Republic

BANANA REPUBLIC BY ANDREW OFORMA EZE
      Contemporarily, the term banana republic is used to describe a country that is economically and politically unstable and dependent on foreign countries, especially developed countries despite their attainment of political independence. In other words, it is a country that has attained flag independence without actual political and economic independence. The sovereignty of banana republic is questionable because such a state is a dependent one. Attributes of banana republic and failed state are almost the same. (See Failed State).
     Origin: The term was coined by an American writer Henry, O (real name; William Sydney Porter) in 1904 in his fictional book where he used it to describe small republics (especially in South America) that are largely dependent on exporting minor agricultural products like banana. BANDWAGONING
     Bandwagoning is a concept in international relations cum international politics used to describe a situation in which a weak state aligns with a strong or dominant one in order to gain political, economic and social security. It is the direct opposite of balance of power. This policy of bandwagoning is mostly used by Third World countries to achieve their aims.
   Hence, every country in Africa wants to be friendly with the western countries for economic, political, social, security and even for moral reasons.