There’ll be more coups in Africa unless so-called democratic govts protect, provide, prosper their citizens

Nigeria has no business in the military coup in Niger that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum.

One of the principles of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) is that member states had no legal power to get involved in internal conflicts on the continent.

It’s successor, the African Union (AU) has been granted the right to intervene in a member state in respect of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Not against coups or counter-coups.

By 2012, Africa witnessed over 200 coups and attempted coups since their various times of independence. In fact, in the 1960s and 1970s, there was a coup attempt every 55 days.

Over 90% of African countries had a coup experience.

I don’t subscribe to military dictatorship because coups are rarely a solution to bad governance. The military juntas in Africa have performed no better than the governments they overthrew.

Our experience with democracy in Africa is that democracy in this part of the world is superficial. Democracy in Africa remains largely cosmetic, hence conditions that cause coups persist.

Several reasons are responsible for coups in Africa: poor leadership, economic hardships, poor governance, corruption, autocracy, limited economic growth, lack of jobs, low-income levels, governments’ failure to provide basic necessities of life such as water, electricity, roads, housing, hospitals, affordable and accessible good education, guaranteed pension benefits, medical coverage, and growing insecurity.

Elections are not free and fair. There’s no respect for the rule of law, independence of the judiciary and civil liberties, coupled with weakened government institutions, and presidents overstaying in power.

Niger has one of the highest birth rates and population growth rates in the world. Niger’s death rate is among the highest in Africa.

Life expectancy is about 58 years for men and 61 years for women.

Military intervention in Niger by France, US, and ECOWAS spearheaded by Nigeria presents a very real risk. To be sure, it can further destabilize Niger.

The incentives for military takeovers in Africa are the fragilities of corrupt and ineffective leadership, corrupt governments and prolonged insecurity. The fear of ECOWAS countries is understandable.

They don’t want this to be incentivized in their countries. The more reason why so-called democratic governments in Africa must put their houses in order.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be reminded that the only antidote to coups in Africa is for African governments to make a radical change of direction.

The respective governments must address governance deficits in the form of non-fulfilment of the entitlements of citizenship, socio-economic frustration, and growing insecurity.

Nigeria cannot afford to intervene militarily in Niger at a time when the situation at home calls for emergency economic and social rescue and reforms.

Bayo Oluwasanmi; joluwasanmi@gmail.com