2025 don finish, but e finish wit all di talk about moral flexibility for international relations, wit alliances wey people bin call moral foundations, and di law-based system — all those beliefs don scatter under di ruins of Gaza.

Now world dey face one old kind of cruelty wey dem revive: dem dey call am Transactional Realism — meaning do deal to meet needs instead of true sacrifice.

From new US strategy to di security chase for Brussels, na dis new pattern dey govern world politics now.

For dis new level, countries — wey dey claim say dem nor get any moral excess — dey see compassion as items for balance sheet wey fit clear.

Their aim no be to secure justice again, but to fix problems in ways wey go make their policies easier. Alliances no dey built again on moral principles, dem dey build am on quid-pro-quo deals.

As world dey turn into big market for diplomatic demand and diplomats dey replaced by policy dealers, main risk for 2026 no be new wars starting but di freezing of problems wey dey for Gaza and Ukraine through deals wey no get trust and wey sacrifice justice.

If international community no follow conscience for 2026, result go be pure confusion wey dem don dey postpone — mean sustained cruelty wey no go easy.

Big bargaining table

Wetin make dis system danger pass for 2026 be say conflicts no go be single-country matter again; wetin scatter one place no go leave another, and dis go turn international system to one huge bargaining table.

You go see countries withdraw from Ukraine to focus on achieving goals for Syria; diplomacy about Gaza fit get sidelined while people try collect benefits for energy security.

Dis new diplomacy go show patchwork bargaining lines, turning world into market where everything fit dey exchanged.

E dey look like say war for Ukraine go be di first test for dis new system.

As fear dey grow for big European cities and US calls to 'end this war' dey increase, for 2026 we fit reach point wey principles like territorial integrity and sovereignty go end up sacrificed to di reality of these wars.

Dis transactional approach wey US dey back, and which dey work like business mindset, go focus only on closing deals.

Situation go worse for Middle East. While mass killing dey happen for Gaza, many in world dey treat Palestinian question as reconstruction and security project, not as matter of political rights and independence.

Plans wey dem go put for table in 2026 go prefer Israel security and ways for big global players to exit di crisis quickly, instead of prioritising dignity and the rights of Palestinians.

When system treat victims of genocide as bargaining chips instead of as people wey suffer atrocity, e no go heal wounds; na just cover-up with cement under spirit of dis new age of deals.

So for dis diplomatic market of demand in 2026, who go stand for di powerless? Who go protect rights wey international system don allow to slide?

For past we bin dey look to institutions like United Nations for moral posture.

But wetin happen in 2025, especially di killings wey happen for Gaza, show lack of integrity and failure of these institutions to act.

International rules today dey behave like observers. ICJ judgments dey look like law-school readings. Old institutions nor even dey among leaders' real trade table.

So appeal to conscience through these ineffective channels be waste. Institutions don give way to dis system. Global justice don turn to discretionary choice, no be constitutional duty again.

New actors need to step in to fill di gap. For 2026, three major things fit emerge as voices for the powerless.

First na countries wey deliberately position themselves as moral actors — those wey seek influence not only by economic or military power, but by moral legitimacy and commitment to human values.

Many developing countries for Global South, from South Africa to Brazil and from Turkey to Indonesia, dey shape global debate more. E no be just flexible coalition wey dey want more economic power; dem fit become leaders for defining fair and inclusive global norms.

These countries must carry burden of insisting on moral follow-through, exposing the gaps of justice inside the system.

European claim to moral leadership in past century don show hypocrisy, and dis create need for a bloc to fill dat gap.

For example, South Africa no just protest; by using Western rules at The Hague on ongoing genocide in Gaza, e show Western countries remain silent and broke their supposed shield by acting unjustly.

Similarly, President Erdogan stance challenge how world handle Gaza and his clear support for Palestinian cause no be only talk; na pushback against system where big powers act like dem know best while humanitarian diplomacy dey only for show.

As useful deals dem sign in 2026, na these countries fit add compassion inside those papers and act to encourage better outcomes.

Second na leadership with courage. For 2026 marketised world, everything go get price, but brave leaders go put values front.

True leadership mean to stand on principles and clear moral limits even if e hard, costly or tactically risky. Leaders wey see refugees as people and not bargaining chips, and wey treat borders not only as security walls but as moral lines, na dem go shape 2026.

Third, and maybe most important, na activists — from protesters to civil-society groups. Even as Western governments face pushback, places like Istanbul show how public pressure fit matter.

The pro-Palestine gathering on 1 January at Galata Bridge no be just ritual; na public display of conscience sent to di world system at start of new year.

2026: Stakes

How world respond to the suffering for Gaza go matter more for history than diplomats knack fast deals. Even if Palestinians dey treated as part of security or reconstruction package for temporary calm, any agreement wey nor include real justice go just make conflict worse.

For dis moment, historical responsibility rest on morally minded big countries and capable actors from the Global South wey fit propose plans where international system fail.

Di roadmap for next year must be practical, no be just moral show. The work of these stakeholders no be only to put architecture for peace on table as option — dem must build sustainable peace, not as mere priority but as the only real solution to this crisis.