The Gabon coup

The military takeover of power in Gabon, the oil-rich Central African country, with about two million people, is another rejection of toxic democracy that dot the African continent  which has many sit-tight leaders, who change term limits with ease. In these countries with pseudo democracies, corruption and abuse of office is rife. The leaders of these impoverished countries hardly respect human rights of their citizens and they pay least attention to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The coup in Gabon just like the earlier one in Niger Republic, is a rejection of France continued imperialism and hegemony in Africa. The overthrow of Ali Bongo, the son of Omar Bongo, the first President of Gabon is a rejection of Bongo’s political dynasty in Gabon which has lasted for about 55 years. The coup in Gabon is the eight in Central and Western Africa since 2020. It is so sad that the coup virus is on a steady rampage in Africa, especially in Western and Central Africa regions, where democracy has been overtly trampled upon by unconscionable and corrupt leaders that abound in Africa.

In these countries, their leaders behave like despots, demi-gods and emperors. The coup in Niger Republic occurred because of these factors that border on corruption, abuse of office and misrule. The same can explain the military intervention in Gabon, where the sick Ali Bongo has changed the constitution to allow him go for a third term in office. Upon all this, the election that ushered his third term in office was highly compromised. In that poll, the wishes of the people were subverted just like what happened in Zimbabwe recently in the name of election. In all this abuse of democracy in Africa, the AU and ECOWAS were found wanting. The two organs could not caution these leaders that abuse their citizens and impoverish them. They were utterly silent and their silence was deafening. The AU and ECOWAS saw the deterioration of democracy in Niger Republic and did nothing until the coupists intervened. They saw it in Gabon and did nothing until the coupists came calling some days ago. They saw it in Zimbabwe and did nothing. Nobody knows what will happen in Zimbabwe next.  They saw it in Paul Biya’s Cameroon and did nothing. The AU saw it in Uganda, Equatorial Guinea and other African nations and did nothing.

There is indeed no doubt that democracy in Africa is very sick and needs surgical operation and total overhaul. Democracy in Africa has become dictatorial and monarchical and leaders see themselves as kings that will rule forever. Before colonialism, Africa was used to leadership by the strong, the brave and the most powerful. Most part of Africa was ruled by kings and perpetual dynasties.  They are used to gerontocracy. Democracy, especially the Western brand, can be said to be alien to Africa before colonialism. Some may argue that some parts of Africa had a political culture that can lay claim to being democratic. They may be right. However, such a democracy like the Igbo republican system of government in pre-colonial Nigeria was highly rudimentary. It wasn’t fully developed hence there were inter-tribal wars and communal clashes among Igbo city-states or clans, a theme highly captured in Chinua Achebe’s rural novels.

Before the coup in Gabon, there was one in Niger Republic, Sudan, Guinea, Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso. Coups in Africa has a particular pattern, they came when people are disenchanted with their leaders and their democracies. People in Africa have lost hope in the so-called democratic leaders. When peaceful change of government is no longer feasible, violent takeover of government becomes inevitable. That is exactly what is taking place in Africa now. The wind of change is blowing throughout Africa and nobody knows which country will be next.

The sit-tight leaders in Africa should be jittery. The corrupt leaders in Africa should be worried. AU and ECOWAS leaders are in dilemma of sorts without knowing the next line of action they will take to check the rising tide of coups in Africa. ECOWAS had mooted with the idea of using force to restore constitutional order in Niger Republic but after much criticisms and strident opposition by Nigerians, the Bola Tinubu-led ECOWAS has retraced its steps and hoped to resolve the Niger crisis with diplomacy and sanctions and leaving the use of military force as the last option.

With the new coup in Gabon, AU and ECOWAS can no longer use force to restore democracy in Niger Republic. They have lost the moral high ground to embark on such a fruitless exercise. Furthermore, they lack the strength to wage two wars simultaneously in Africa, assuming ECOWAS will extend such venture to Gabon. Even ECOWAS cannot wage a successful war against Niger Republic, when Mali and Burkina Faso are its strong allies. It is like military rule has come back to Africa and the military leaders would likely stay in power for a while before the affected countries will be returned to the so-called constitutional order.

The return of coups in Africa is a strong warning to Africa’s sit-tight leaders and those who subvert the will of the people to sit up or be booted out of power by rampaging coupists. The saying that those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable is seriously playing out in Africa. And there is no place to hide until bad leaders are removed from office either by ballot or by any other means.

What is the panacea for incessant coups in Africa? Good governance, good governance and good governance. Another antidote to coups is good management of diversity in African countries. African leaders must learn how to respect term limits and handover powers to winners of elections instead of their puppets or surrogates or political allies. The electoral systems must be transparent in the conduct of elections.  The coup in Gabon was orchestrated mainly by abuse of the electoral system and the penchant for sit-tightism. When elections are rigged, manipulated or compromised as witnessed in many African democracies, the people’s will is subverted. These democratic aberrations push soldiers to politically intervene in Africa. Will diarchy, a government of the military and civilians, as suggested by Nigeria’s former President, political colossus and nationalist, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, solve the problem of incessant coups in Africa? Political analysts need to brainstorm on this before more African countries are engulfed in military dictatorships. Is diarchy feasible in Africa? Although some military leaders can be benevolent at times, military rule is not the best form of government. In fact, military rule has not been good for Africa. It has led to counter coups, more coups and civil wars and political instability in Africa.

At the same time, democratic rule has not even fared any better. And there is even no sign that democracy will endure in Africa. Democracy has led to rule by one man and civilian dictatorship as witnessed in many African countries. It has led to arrested development and distortion of values and nepotism. It has led to ethnicization of politics in Africa as well as the use of religion for political patronage.

What is happening in Paul Biya’s Cameroon can hardly be described as democracy? What about DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda and other African countries where sit-tight leaders reign supreme? Why do coups enjoy popular support in Africa? People hail coupists because they offer some relief, be it momentarily. People yearn for change where they are politically subjugated, socially and economically emasculated. In most African democracies, freedom of speech is absent and the opposition is muzzled. African countries penchant for a one-party state is an invitation to military interventions in politics.

The AU should sit up and chastise corrupt and inept African leaders and urge them to embrace good governance as a way of curbing the incessant coups in Africa. ECOWAS and other regional blocs in Africa should do the same. The use of force to restore democracy or constitutional order as used by ECOWAS in Liberia and Sierra Leone is no longer feasible in the present situation. What AU and ECOWAS should do is to help the coupists agree to a realistic transition plan in the affected countries.