Why are there so few Islamists in West Africa?

[Azor]

A brilliant exchange between two SME Shadi Hamid and Andrew Lebovich, on this question via Brookings. They cover Algeria, Mali and Senegal.

From the introduction:
Link:https://www.brookings.edu/on-the-record/why-are-there-so-few-islamists-in-west-africa-a-dialogue-between-shadi-hamid-and-andrew-lebovich/?

Some real surprises and quirks.

This could fit in the broader thread Islam, Islamism, Conflict & Terrorism (a collection) on another day.

This is a rather curious article with a dubious assertion.

Firstly, there are raging Islamist insurgencies in Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger (4 of Western Africa's 16 states).

Secondly, there was an Islamist leading Gambia until recently, and a sectarian flavor to the violence in Ivory Coast a few years back.