By Inuwa Waya
On the 5th of September 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Department of Defence to the ‘Department of War’.
The move is part of Trump’s broader plan to project strength on the world stage and to purge the military of what he called “woke ideology.”
The department was originally called the Department of War from its establishment in 1789 until 1947, when then-President Harry Truman renamed it as part of a post-World War II reorganization.
According to the executive order, the renaming ensures peace through strength as it demonstrates the American ability and willingness to fight and win wars at the slightest provocation. This was coming a few days after China’s President Xi Jinping unveils laser weapons, nuclear ballistic missiles and giant underwater drones at a massive military parade 80 years on from the country’s victory over Japan in World War Two.
Standing on top of Tiananmen Gate – President Jinping said the world today faced a stark choice between peace and war, dialogue and confrontation, he then concluded by saying that the great China fears no Country in the World.
In what President Trump referred to as the conspiracy against America, the show of the military might was witnessed by Russia’s Putin and the North Korea’s Kim Jong- Un. Answering reporters after the event, President Putin unequivocally stated that unless Ukraine agreed to hold peace talks based on what he called the realities on the ground, Russia would meet all its military targets in the Country.
The UK’s latest military plans include significant investments in boosting weapons production and stockpiles. The strategy aims to restore Britain’s war-fighting readiness in response to heightened threats since the Cold War, including war in Europe, new nuclear risks, and growing fear of Russian aggression.
NATO nations are committed to revitalizing the alliance by spending 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence. According to the leaders’ rhetorics, the military alliance is now better poised to project military, diplomatic, and economic power in the world. The current European Union military strategy focuses on strengthening collective defence capabilities and rapid response to threats. The key goals are advancements in artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare, and financial support to member countries. It also involved increasing support for Ukraine against what they considered to be a Russian aggression. In the Middle East, Isreal continue to produce weapons and receive support in many ways from the US and Europe in order to continue committing genocide in Gaza and conduct regular and unprovoked attack against Syria, Lebanon and Iran. The Afrcan Continent has for long been bedevilled by conflict and frugality. The Central Republic of Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Southern Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the host of others are engaged in the war of attrition. The West African countries of Nigeria, Mali, Burkina faso, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon suffer from different kinds of religious terrorism. In Nigeria, bandits are terrorising innocent communities through kidnapping for ransom. It is very clear from what has been said in the preceding paragraphs that the world is now preoccupied with conflicts and wars. All the conflict resolution mechanisms, especially the ones at the United Nations, are weakened by the uncompromising political interests of the five permanent members. Wars and conflicts bring destruction and misery. When the world is preoccupied with these twin evils,the result is an unprecedented increase in poverty rate, especially in the vulnerable regions like the sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2024, the World Bank data indicated that approximately 692 million people living in extreme poverty. This estimate is based on different poverty lines and data updates, with the most recent international poverty line (IPL) showing higher numbers due to shifts in methodology. Other reports use different definitions. For instance, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimated that slightly over one billion people are living in multidimensional poverty, indicating a lack of access to healthcare, education, hygiene, and food. The United Nations Social Income website reported that over 700 million people are living on less than $1.90 per day, further indicating the scale and spread of poverty around the world. This article is concerned with multidimensional poverty and its devastating effects on society. Poverty brings about widespread human suffering and prevents individuals from living with dignity. It further undermines overall societal well-being, economic growth, and political stability. It is for these reasons that the United Nations identified ending the monster as a primary goal and a fundamental requirement for sustainable development. The truth of the matter is that the world is not on track to fully achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the 2030 deadline. Major challenges to date are extreme poverty, inequality, climate change, and conflicts that had stalled or even reversed development in many regions. Today, wars and preparations for wars at the global stage are the biggest threat to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The title of this piece is a wake-up call that the world is facing an imminent risk of disaster with its attendant unimaginable consequences.
Surely, a world that is defined by conflicts and wars is a threat to the existence of humanity itself. Scientifically, human beings are unique animals with capacities that differentiate them from other animals. Human beings are endowed with advance reasoning, capacity to resolve conflicts, and consciousness to determine what is morally and ethically right.
It is these exceptionally unique qualities that human beings are unwittingly trading with violence, indignities, and lack of empathy. It is even more worrisome that the world powers who claimed to be the champions of civilisation, democracy and human rights are in the forefront of ignoring the observance of the international legal order. Their popular slogan in this dispensation is that respect and peace are secured by the fear of military might.
The perplexing issue for mankind is to determine the options available to tame and even reverse this ugly trend. As difficult as this might seem, the only option available especially to those who believe in the International legal order and the growth of the multipolar World, is to continue advocating for the relevance of the United Nations.
The focus of the world must be peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet.
These are the basis upon which the UN was founded. Chapter V of the UN charter entrusted its Security Council with the responsibility of guaranteeing international peace and security.
Chapter VI of the UN Charter outlines the obligation of UN member states to resolve disputes that threaten international peace and security through peaceful means by negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. It also grants the Security Council the power to call upon parties to use these methods of settling conflicts.
There is also the International Court of Justice (ICJ) whose purpose is to settle legal disputes between states and also provide advisory opinions on legal issues referred to it by authorized United Nations (UN) organs and agencies in accordance with international law. Judging from the foregoing, it is evidently clear that the international community has made adequate provisions for settling conflicts through dialogue and consultations.
The use of military force by the UN Security Council as provided by chapter VII of UN charter would only be adopted as a last resort. Flexing muscles with a show of the military might does not, and will never solve conflicts.
Preemptive military strikes, selective application of international law, and providing political and diplomatic cover for a country to ignore international law will only spell doom to the world.
Similarly, if nations are encouraged to ignore borders and sovereignty, if the powerful oppresses the weak, if the rich subjugate the poor, if nations become predators and if technological advancement become a weapon of war; it is only a matter of time for human beings to completely destroy that element of uniqueness and consciousness which differentiates them with the other animals.
The world would eventually become a kingdom of senior animals. Imagine what that portends.