Topic: The fate of Democracy in West Africa shakes - page 2. (Read 327 times)

Well is all over the news that the military in Niger ousted the democratic government of Mohamed Bazoum barely two weeks ago and since then it has generated different interest. First the immediate bloc which is ECOWAS have given timeframe to reinstate democracy but the military have refused and the time line given has elapsed. ECOWAS have given alot of sanctions to Niger like seizure of their account with them, closure of boarders and threat of military force to rescue the president and reinstall him. This has been the general overview on the matter while some West Africa countries led by military have also announced support for Niger if ECOWAS soldiers invade the territory of Niger.

Something strange appears to be going on in Africa. News appears limited in certain regions and I have even seen radar evidence that most of central Africa is a no fly zone for some unexplained reason. I hope I’m just I’ll informed and something more sinister isn’t happening, but with the state of today’s news it’s hard to know what is really going on.

African leaders are not proactive themselves. Agreement is give and take but they will be blind to those arrangement that will see them being exploited only if they are promised some affluence abroad. Just very few of African leaders have stood their ground not to be exploited like Muammar Gaddafi but they used his people to kill him because he wanted to unify Africa financial system.

Africa needs assistance and the continent is open to any country that offers help. We saw citizens of Niger waving the Russian flag because they assume that Russia will be a better partner. Nigerians now believe that France has been exploiting them since independence.

I wouldn't know what the Russian government has promised these coupists for them to immediately align with them. Maybe they have been promised that instead of exploiting and exporting raw materials industries will be built in Niger thereby improving the economy of the nation. It might also be that Russia has promised to be proactive in the fight to get rid of Islamic jihadists and terrorist groups waging war against Niger. I also heard the Russian leader promising to forgive the debt of some African countries and support them to get non-permanent seats in the United Nations.

But before African leaders fall for these enticing promises they should do a check on other African nations that are under the influence of Russia. It will be good to ascertain if Russia's influence has benefited the Central African Republic, Libya, Sudan, and Mozambique.

There is high possibilities in the last part that you mentioned. Russia could be looking for alliance in Africa apart from South Africa who was already fingered for supporting them at the Ukraine war. At the eve of the military coup in Niger and at the moment, the flag of Russia has been seen all over the internet by the people of Niger waving them, this is significant enough that it could be an alliance already. Some Russian group has been in communication with Niger military already. This all makes it complicated because US being the leader of NATO follows Russia to region where they are trying to occupy. Africans need to wake up from neocolonialism.

There are people who say that a bad democracy will be always better than a "good" regime. But that kind of mindset is not to be expected when people who feel oppressed and victimized during years of allegedly a good democratic government.

I personally fear that this uprising against democracies in Africa could continue in coming years and it could be translated to an increase of the influence regimes like those in Russia, China and even in the middle east could have there. Let us not fool ourselves, Those countries are very interested in expanding the range of their influence (specially the sanctioned Russia), and they would not think too much on the idea of overthrowing small Republics in order to achieve their agende in the long run.

The recent coups don't surprise me, and it shouldn't surprise anyone either. You can't keep treating people like that and expect them not to rise against you. Has history taught us nothing? They may not be successful, but at a certain point, the oppressed will fight back.

Military regime is not the answer but you can't blame the people if they think that's the answer. Democracy has been killing them for years, so right now they'll take anything that can eradicate those greedy politicians, and that includes making a deal with the devil.
They're vulnerable and desperate.
What's worst is that Western countries are exploiting the greed of African politicians, further making matters worst for the country.

I am not thretened by the rising military coups in West Africa. I am a Nigerian and I am purely not bothered and if that coup happens in Nigeria, I will be among the happy ones. The people of Nigeria are not practising democracy. If you are continually disfranchised every 4 years, there is no evidence that you are practising democracy.

The major cause is the prolonged suffering of the citizens of these countries which is caused by the prolonged corruption by the politicians who vowed not to leave the seat of rulership.

If the military cannot shot an innocent person to death, I prefere them to the wicked and corrupt leaders we have now.

This coup matter is rising rapidly in Africa, the spread is becoming alarming thereby exposing other Nations to imitate the eminent idea that's trending around the region and if care is not taken Nigeria might not be an exception because currently the diversity amongst her citizens its a major concern. Republic of Niger has already appointed an economist,  Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine as their Prime Minister which makes it more difficult for Nigeria to invade its territory.

Six of the approximately seventeen countries in West Africa have been taken over by the military. This merely denotes that West African nations are gradually reverting to the military rule of law they previously had before becoming democratic nations.

If we were to investigate what led to the military coup in the six nations you named, we would all discover that it was poor governance and corruption on the part of African civilian leaders who made it necessary for their citizens to endure hell in order to survive in their respective countries. As a result of the difficulties, this now leads to a military coup.

A military coup similar to this one should be anticipated in other of the remaining twelve West African nations that have not changed how they govern their citizens. Because of the hardship and corruption that have long pervaded the nation, Nigeria may be the next place where a military coup takes place.

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This military takeover in six West African nations is a bad one since it means that there will never be freedom of speech and the application of the law in those nations again. Now, without using a dual procedure, the military will make decisions and manage national affairs without questions from the masses

It will definitely affect Nigeria, Nigerian people and their economy. In fact it is already affecting the states that share borders to Niger because of the closure of boarders. Closer of boarders means no bilateral trades and both neighbors in Niger and Nigerian states will have the first impact.

It will affect our security and everything if Bola tinubu allows himself to be used by the Euro or Americans to instigate ECOWAS to use military on Niger. If he doesn't read the hand writing on the war and goes on to do that despite the challenges of illegitimacy of his government that is still challenged in court, those West Africa countries that have pledged support for Niger like Burkina Faso, Mali etc will come in from different Nigerian states and that will mean disaster for Nigeria because the Nigerian military is already stretched in fighting of boko haram and other insurgence in the country. So he should better play cool.

The African politicians are the cause of insecurity and coup that they witness because they are selfish, corrupt and will not allow democratic tenets to grow, no rule of law, they don't obey court judgement. In fact no difference with West Africa democracy and military rule.

Besides South Africa, no African country practices true democracy. There is no difference between civilian and military rule in Africa. That is why Africans will always celebrate a coup because it is just a normal change of government.

The main reason for military coups in Africa is corruption, electoral malpractice, and poor economy. The military will justify their intervention with corruption. They will claim that they have come to rescue the nation from bribery and corruption. When these politicians manipulate electoral results to get political power, it gives the military the right to topple the illegitimate government. If the economy of a nation is sound and people are living well, the military will not use the economy as an excuse for coups.

The coup in some African countries can be a motivation for the military to strike in other nations. ECOWAS is threatening to use the military to force the military government of Niger to return power to the elected politicians. A war in Niger will destabilize Nigeria politically, economically, and militarily. The best option to settle this crisis is dialogue and diplomacy. If ECOWAS is cajoled by some powerful nations to start a war in Niger, it will be the beginning of a proxy war between superpowers. Africans shouldn't forget that they have nowhere to run to because no nation in the West or East will be willing to accept them as refugees.

Truism, Africa isn't practicing true Democracy but civil rule. Africa has greedy and power drunk political leaders, they will never let the Democracy grow because of love of power. They want to rule till they did in the seat. Their behaviour is weaking the Democratic hope of Africa states.

It's because of the fail democracy in Africa that some military junta are emerging today. They Democratic leaders has failed and the military can't fold Their hands anymore to let it fail. If the leaders were doing well Military won't threatening their positions.

To me with lastest coups, military regimes and anti-democratic movements are consequence of the long and tragic history of Africa as a continent submitted to the will of western powers. Since the beginning foreigners tried to take over Africa, change their traditions and exploit resources for their own selfish purposes.

Even today, as independent states, Africa continues to be culturally and politically dominated by powers beyond their frontiers. It is inherited weakness from the colonial era, in my opinion.
It can be USA or Russia, it does not matter as long their own interest are at stake.

It is not surprising to me about the spate of military coup in the West African sub region of Africa because there is high level of infiltration of arms and ammunition across the region and those democrative government couldn't check them. Arms are everywhere in the region and of course they come in from outside Africa and whoever the pay masters are is left for 55 member countries of Africa Union to unravel and the purpose known. Corruption allegations levelled against those oasted democratic government should not be issue because the military is not free from corruption themselves.

They could, and who knows who the real backers of a coup are. Supposedly the militants in Niger have dissolved the constitution after they ceased power from the President, so it's a fascist nation as of now. Who benefits from that? Certainly the west has some level of interest in the region and this coup isn't good for business.


Centuries of failed and corrupt government. And as of late, foreign involvement in military coups.

In light of the current occurrence, it is noteworthy that six African nations, namely Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Mali, Sudan, and Niger, have come under the governance of military dictators.

Which country is next? Only God knows, but the resurgence of the coup could have been because of corruption, I guess, but the junta of Niger cited rising insecurity and a poor economic situation.

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But there are deeper reasons for this; remember, Russia and the West are still at odds with each other.

And the fact that hundreds of youths in the capital, Niamey, gathered to celebrate the July coup, waving Russian flags and chanting ‘Wagner, also signifies something.

Russia is not only against democracy but also a dictatorship-ruled country, so a military coup may be in their favour.

In the midst of this rising Military coup, I cannot just stop questioning: why the military regime?

What could have caused the rising military coup in West Africa?

Why are there still insurgents in countries where foreign military bases lie?

Can a foreign military base foster a military coup?

Despite the saying that "worst democracy is better than the best military dictatorship," why do West African countries fall victim to coups?

As a Nigerian, I hope this coup will not affect our security, economic stability, or political stability.