alternatehistory.com

I didn't want to necro such an old thread as I have nothing but questions to contribute, but here goes: West African Alliance (Redone)

POD: 1864 Lincoln survives assassination attempt. In Liberia, mismanagement of Government and discrimination an oppression of native populous.

1899-1901: Federal constitution ratified.

The countries of the Alliance(1901)

Mali: Democratic Confederacy
Segou
Bamana
Tukolor
Massina

Liberia/Sierra Leone: Republic

Senegal: Semi-oligarchy with democratic tendencies

Dahomey-Oro: Constitutional Bicameral Monarchy

Mandinkan States: Constitutional Monarchy
Dyula
Burkina Faso
Guinea

Sokoto Caliphate: Constitutional Theocracy

To belong to the West African Alliance, each member state, no matter the form of government must adopt a common ‘Bill of Rights’. The West African Alliance is the Federal government, each member is independent within it. It is a Democratic Meritocracy.

There's more to it than what I just quoted, but what if an African Alliance existed in West Africa? Could it plausibly become a great power sometime in the 20th century?
Top