And yet again, another coup

The ugly rhythms that have blotched parts of Africa, in a contemporary world that recognises democratic governance has become quite worrisome. Africa as a continent, has had its own fair share of drawbacks: several military interregna, sit-tight leadership and a couple of other intercesine crises that unfortunately, still continue to hurt the very soul of the continent. As we speak, Mali, Guinea, Chad, Burkina Faso are run by military diktats; having witnessed a growing number of coup de’tats, that have by themselves long held the continent down in infamy. The latest yet again, was the coup of last week in neighbouring Niger Republic; where the head of the Presidential Guards, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, assumed forceful control of the country. The president, Mohamed Bazoum, who was sworn-in on the 2nd of April 2021 has since been under arrest under the protection of the coupists and their allies. The Niger episode, is yet another pollution that has fouled the air of democracy, in a country with high unemployment rate, poverty, and poor quality of life. As Nigeria’s neighbour, Niger shares a couple of the crises facing the continent’s largest population: armed banditry, kidnapping and cross border crimes.

Niger Republic, shares contiguous boundary linkage with Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, as well . That the coupists derive inspiration from happenings in those four countries would not be far-fetched. This growing return to undemocratic governance in our continent is another serious challenge that the leadership of Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the African Union, have to address, immediately in order to stem this backward trend and put Africa on the path of progress and respect in the Comity of Nations. For sure, no matter the reason, coups and undemocratic governments are no longer fashionable; no matter how plausible and compelling the reasons often given may appear to be. The fact that the military leaders are not products of elections for the people by the people, removes the badge of legitimacy from their rule. Time was when Africa became the fertile ground for military take overs of constituted democratic governments; usually they cited reasons of corruption, profligacy and poor leadership rendition as the rationale for such take-overs: Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Liberia, Sierra-Leone, Niger, Mali, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Guinea to mention but a few, have all had their own share of coups and armed insurrections and clearly that wasnt the path to progress. With Nigeria’s democracy blistering aloft for 24 years now, the idea of a people-driven government seems to have stamped its foothold on the country. But sadly our neighbors are not learning from us; judging by the happenings across other West African nations including the latest in Niger. Their actions have cast a slur on the legitimacy question that should define every representative government.

Africa is becoming a dumpsite for all manner of uncivilised realities in the scramble and interest in partitioning our continent just for control and acquisition by any means. The disgust at the greed, avarice, corruption, egocentricism, and self aggrandisement that often drives the quest for this brutish power, are internal ; but are there some external forces also? Is it really about the desires, expectations and yearnings of the people?. Military rules are often put in effect by the constant threat of the power from the barrel of the gun. Even when the coups are not bloody, as some are wont to be, the fact that they are forceful take overs of the repository of power leaves the people and their legitimacy as a subject of interrogation. Essentially, military rules are not representative of the people, but self-serving power and what else? Democratic governments in Africa had become quite popular especially after the collapse of the Berlin Walls, apartheid and the dismemberment of the Societ Union. But the latest scramble for power by the military is worrisome as I said before, and it is going to spell doom for a continent that is already on the lower rung of the ladder. African leaders need to be circumspect and vigilant and therefore, particularly the democratic ones, must conscientiously deliver democratic dividends to their people lest they turn their nation into the hands of other parties. They should, through deliberate actions of inclusivity and participation by all stakeholders deliver the promised dividends of democracy. The pronounced rationale for take over of the government by the Tchiani-led putsch, is not enough of a reason to arrest the legitimacy of the people as the true repositors of power. General Tchiani, as a Presidential Guard has been part and parcel of the power oligarchy in Niger, and the reason for his take over becomes puerile.

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Niger Republic has had its own share of coups and counter-coups in its historical trajectory. Before the last democratic president was sworn-in on the 2nd April, 2021, there was a failed coup attempt that was poised to derail the transition. Bazoum himself, supported the coup of General Salou Djibo in 2010, before another transition in 2011, when he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs for Niger’s 24 million population. Bazoum has been a recurring decimal in Niger’s political life since 1993; the time when Nigerians were having their own share of political turmoil on account of the annulled June 12 election. He registered his own Party along with his predecessor in office. Then, Mahamadou Issoufou, used his polyglot skills to rally round the people through social media engagements and other activities that fuelled his popularity. His victory in 2021 was not a surprise to many. His present ordeal is what remains a puzzle to many Nigeriens. The recurrent coups in Africa could indeed negatively impact the growth and sustenance of democracy, being a representative government in Africa. Coups could also hurt the very soul of a continent that is already being weighed down by famine, corruption, crimes, armed insurrection, climate change, and post-COVID challenges. Going back to the drawing board to chart a new route for entrenching democratic rule is going to take another level of thinking. The absence of a stable government has its own disincentive for investment and economic growth.

The position taken by the ECOWAS at its emergency meeting in Abuja on Sunday the 30th of July seems to be putting the wrong foot forward, by the 7-days ultimatum given to the coupists in Niger. I think the ECOWAS should tread with caution. High level diplomacy is of utmost importance now. Dialogue and constructive engagement with the coupists is most likely going to yield better results than the iron-fist and stick approach. Every military take-over is often a contest of bullets, rather than of ideas. The ECOWAS needs to immediately send a high-powered delegation to the coupists in Niger, to see how feasible it is to diffuse his worries, and motivation for the take-over. That way, the doctrine of fair hearing would have applied and whatever becomes the outcome of such robust dialogue and engagement would form the basis for how best to confront the ugly situation. If the Tchiani-led coupists see the formidable solidarity of the ECOWAS delegation and the consequences of what may follow in the event of their being recalcitrant, they may give the democratic president a soft landing. Tact, diplomacy, constructive engagement, and collective bargaining, are the requirements now for addressing this pain in the neck. The ultimatum to me, does not sound like what ought to be the first step approach in handling this issue; except if the ECOWAS as a body is ready to undergo a long period of possible intercesine warfare that will lead to bloodshed. Need I caution here that that may be foolhardy as the ousted President is still very much in the custody of the coupists; his safety matters. If the stick approach is deployed, the likelihood of the president being killed is highly probable. And that would lead to a concatenation of other crises that would spell doom for a sub-region that is already over saturated with coups and military government.

President Tinubu and other strong-willed presidents should also deem it fit to visit the coupists and negotiate something acceptable to them to allow peace to reign. As a francophone neighbour, with Nigeria being an anglophone country, it must be strategic in its approach, involvement and engagement, also because our military has been over-stretched in containing, and contending with armed banditry, insurgency and other crimes and criminalities. We need to be tactful in dealing with this. Again, at this time, diplomacy and robust engagement look like the way forward to me. In the wake of Russia’s new incursion into Africa for alliances and allies, it would welcome any form of government. But such realities may not advance democratic growth in the sub-region and Africa at large. Africa leaders need to speak clearly with one voice now, in condemning the recent happenings in those initial four countries under military rule. The West must also define its intervention more transparently with cogent reasons that would stimulate the support of the masses for democracy and against military rule. The reality in Niger, where the masses were seen on the streets, in support of the coupists, is like giving endorsement to the illegality of the torpedo. ECOWAS’ approach was prompt, but the article of faith of such intervention needs to be clearly defined with achievable milestones and not another threat. In doing this, the Darfur region and its peculiar crisis must refresh its memory. The ongoing Sudan crises, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso are reasons why ECOWAS must tread with caution. This latest coup in Niger and other coups, must be denounced and condemned in their entirety. Africa must be free. Africa must assume a new narrative that would ensure its rightful place in the comity of nations, and not a continent that is the residue of military interregna and coup de’tats.