Topic: The fate of Democracy in West Africa shakes (Read 327 times)

Well, your assumption could be true. Several western nations have their military bases here in Africa yet are are still the issue of reoccurring insurgency, coup, and instability in government.

We claim to practice democracy, but we're not getting the dividends of democracy. That was exactly why the people of Niger Republic rejoiced and cheered the military.

For Africa to really stand and move forward without all these unnecessary instability, our leaders (Politicians) have to desist from corrupt practices and stop being puppets to the Western Powers.

I saw a current video by the leader of  Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin and he was boasting that they are making African states better. He also said that they have been protecting Africa from terrorists and Islamic jihadists. I don't know how true these statements are but time will tell if they are true or false. The French special forces are focused more on protecting the state-owned uranium mining firm Areva than shielding the citizens from attacks by terrorists. Some citizens claim that the long years of Niger's alliance with the West didn't bring the expected economic development. Therefore they want a new global partner. And other external forces are taking advantage of the perceived maladministration of France and its allies to instigate an uprising and forceful political change.

There is no genuine coup because it is universally unacceptable to forcefully remove a democratically elected government. But if these military governments bring the needed positive change such as economic growth and security, the citizen may see the coup as genuine. Africans don't care who is in power, what they want is a government that will bring economic prosperity. A war on Niger might be complicated because of its large land mass and complex terrain. It will lead to the increase and spread of terrorist attacks in the Sub-region.

Note that weak leadership in the US has to do with the people not picking up their share of leadership, and changing things.

Politicians are ambitious people who want control. Average people are politicians, too. All you have to do is listen to the way they talk about what is going on.

Active politicians who make big moves in government are often suffering from a combination of schizophrenia, ambition-delusions, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.... all the while being physically healthy. Average people might be emotionally connected to politics, but they lack one of these psychological disease that active politicians have.

If average people had these disorders, even just a little more than they do, they might become active enough to change things.

What we really need to have right now are some real bloggers who will document all that's happening in the area but that alone is hard to find because when you say bloggers, most of them only want to document scenery and some foods in the place if they document the military, their life would be in danger. so all we have right now is the mainstream media and some social media posts. I wonder if that's gonna be enough for us to really know what's going on right there.

What is the definition of a "genuine" coup and what is the difference between a regular coup? A coup is always a coup, not matter whether some people supports it or they are against it.

Also, saying that this insurrection in Niger is the product of the decay of the United States and it's influence around the world does not make much sense. Coups have always happened, even during USA best years. Though, I don't deny there must be some Russian influence under all this situation.

The people of Niger does not seem to get what kind of repression the Russian people suffer, to the point of political adversaries being poisoned and thrown in prison for saying what they think. That is not the future I wish for any African country, not even mention the Chinese model.

The problem still boils on the current weak leadership in USA and those supporting it. Those supporting the leadership will be as weak as it is, if not weaker. You must not ally with it at all if you want to remain strong and dominant worldwide. Better to ally with the coming leadership from US.
Beside, the weak leadership & its allies are trying to fully take over the entire world through their globalist plans but keep failing. The Niger issue is part of the failure. Successful takeover will happen through the "Red King" not the blue...

Russia is currently the acting head of the world due to the weak leadership in US. So, countries allying with her should do well... And the reason for the coups are mostly genuine.

I hope your country and ECOWAS don't cross the red line in Niger. It will be an easy defeat against the invaders... even a rag-tag horse-riding Nigeriens forces will do great against potential invaders

Let me get this straight. Some African government makes a law. The law takes effect because 80% of the voting people voted an approval for it?

If Africa does it like this, they have a way better form of government than the United States. In the US, all the President has to do is sign something into law, and it is law. The people never vote on it... and certainly not 80% of the people. Sure, they may vote him out of office at the end of his term, or if the law is really bad, they might impeach him. But the law still is a law, even after he is out of office or impeached.

Even if Congress makes it a law that the President can make all the laws that he wants, when did the people get to vote 80% on THAT Congressional law?

If Africa has this kind of law making, where the people have to vote a big majority before it becomes law, what's the problem? A potential law takes a few weeks to vote on. So, if it isn't voted on, it's not a law. If a government authority acts like it is a law when it hasn't been voted on, he is acting criminally, and should be executed, or at least jailed.

African nations don't need a bunch of stinkin' laws. All that laws do is inhibit the rights of the people. Why? Because the law makers figure out how to use the laws that way.

If Africa is having trouble with Democracy, it's because the Democracy doesn't have the people voting the laws in. Tyrants in government use the idea of a Democracy to make the people think that they have control of their government, when they really don't.

Of course most laws get approval of more than 80% but the challenge is the implementation of those laws when someone contravenes it and the worse is if it is violated by a politician, politician family or popular people. The laws are only implemented against the masses who don't have any influence or someone to call upon. In some countries or most of the countries, there are three arms of government especially in democratic government namely, the executive, legisture and judiciary. So in this case it is the executive that will implement and enforce the laws made by the legislature and the judiciary will interpret it. So the executive if corrupt will not enforce the law against themselves or other politicians that are their friends or popular person in the society despite that the law has the legitimacy of the people 100% but what you get is selected justice.

If you want Democracy to be worth anything, make it so that all laws enacted or repealed by government have to be approved by a 66% majority of the people to be affected.

When you look at all of the countries that have already been taken over by armies, you'll notice that they're all wealthy in mineral resources that can help those regions develop further, but the majority of them suffer the most under their corrupt governments, to whom the militaries have also been loyal for years. When the citizens of a country are dissatisfied with the rule of their democratically elected leaders, a coup is imminent and easy to carry out, as we are seeing in many West African countries right now.


You can't be so sure because military rule is highly rigorous and unlike the democratic system. You'll be limited to some of your current rights, and they'll be able to do and undo things without being subjected to any evaluation before carrying them out.

Just another coup in Africa happens every Saturday, this one has been getting a lot of attention because the military commanders of Niger who executed the coup are very nationalist and anti-west, they don't want the French stealing their resources while they starve to death, and not so surprisingly -- the people actually loved and supported the coup.

You see, the West's collective power couldn't care less how many coups there are, or who rules African countries, all that matters to them is having a puppet who sucks up to them, if the coup is done by someone with those features, they would just write a Twitter post on "How sad they are to witness this happen" and start dealing with the new government the next week like nothing ever happened.

However, when the coup goes against them -- they have to act and bring back their little puppet to power, either by raging their own war or via a proxy war where some of their balls-licking presidents would send their people to die fighting to protect the interest of the United States and its allies.

No sane African with self-dignity and love for his country would favor fake Western democracy imposed on their country over any other form of rulership, if Africans get real democracy without the West, Russia, or China intervention -- then great, if not -- I rather am ruled by a monkey than someone who sold his soul to another country just to stay in power.

Democracy can be practical, it is not a matter whether democracy works or not. It is a matter on how a government, a democratic one, can recover the trust of the people.

A military take over such an important West African country like Nigeria would be very sad and even a biggest dark precendent for the rest of the Republics in Africa.

Here in Latin America we have gone through military coups and takeovers, but those were periods of transition which led to new period of democracies. Though, I would not blame Nigerian people if they think their system is completely broken.

Hey, ops you forgot to mention Nigeria as one of those West African countries to have come under military takeover of power.
What is happening in Niger is avoidable but because of a long period of corrupt democratic governance where the citizen has become tired of the government's many lies and mistreatment that lead to the government losing its legitimacy among the citizens and the military have to intervene.
The main reason here is that the government have lost their legitimacy and democracy could no longer be practicable.

Apart from that, African leaders have not decided to stop neocolonialism and become independent for real. Ever since African countries started gaining independence in 1960s , they have not stopped traveling to other continents and the dividend of their travelling is not felt on the African soil. They don't know how to develop their home but enjoy the amenities they savour over there and letting their place look unkept and unpleasant. They are suppose to develop their regions with the natural mineral resources that are embedded in Africa.

The persistent coups in West Africa are a result of failed governance, intertwined with political corruption and intimidation of the general population. Imagine a president manipulating a country's constitution to enable a third term in office after already serving the constitutionally provided first and second terms (a total of 10 years). Even the military is being paid very little or nothing at all.

Military Coup D'etat is occurred because of democratic governance failure. The Democratic Governments are not ready to develop their Countries and the people thought they are the best way to settle those issue in the nation by force. But irony is always displayed in the midst.

Lolz. I know the next Country the Coup D'etat is going to take place and that should be the neighborhood country to Niger Republic. After one week interval and nothing happened to Niger Republic as ECOWAS promised then another coup will be executed in the West African States.


African youths are tired the deceptive democratic leaders. So the matter what they prefer the military regime. Though political scholars said, "the worst democratic leader is much more better than the best military regime". This statement can be only testified by those who are the countries which the op mentioned. What we have as a democracy in Africa is a camouflage to deceive the citizens to do their evils.

Why the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) could not send it military force face the physical combat with the junta in Niger Republic was because if the Russian Support. Though other organizations also supported ECOWAS but other citizens of ECOWAS against the war because innocent souls will be killed.

Well everyone says different things about the military Coup D'etat in the continent but the problem is always from the democratic leaders. When the TWO major reason of forming government have failed then military will take over and these two things are security and welfare.

Yes I have said it before, different people see it from different ways, but me military come into government because they are also interested to test the NATIONAL WEALTH
though caused by the corrupt leaders.

That is where Independency and Autonomy come to play. The foreign military base in each country is for the protection of the foreigners

No. But they can support the National military coup base on the support of the capitalist they are protesting.

Yes, because they are not doing well to support the welfare of the citizens. Those military men like to send their children to abroad for education but the funds is not there to do so but the politicians who they are guarding day and night send their children to acquire good education without stress and the military is seen them. So they want to test the national wealth. Nigerian is the giant of Africa, so any coup that takes place in the continent affect her directly or indirectly. Like this Niger Republic coup affect Nigeria directly because Nigeria is sharing boarder with them. So immigration will take place, those bad boys in Niger Republic will come to Nigeria to terrorize the dwelling places.

It is not just about Niger alone that coup has been happening, some couple of countries in west Africa has witnessed it also like Mali, Burkina Faso, Sudan. So it is not Niger issue alone but bad governance that has taken over the polity of African countries and the masses are tired of the kind of poverty and impoverishment that they are going through, you could see the jubilation in Niger by the masses and that is to show the people want to try change since they have not benefited from that kind of democracy. However, the issue is whether the military will be able to what they felt Bazoum was not doing or is just going to be another charade because the military personnels are also part of the society.

The greedy and corrupt nature of Africa leaders has blind folded them to the point that they no longer care or sense anything that wants to go against the government because they are only self centered and they don't care about their citizens. This is why it is easy for a coupe to be plotted and executed.

Africa leaders has dump democracy and leaves the citizens with no right on their own because they feel that they are on power and can do whatever they like to steal funds. This is one of the reasons why there are so many insurgency everywhere in Africa and the government of Africa are less concerned. The military government taking or Niger is a sign of weakness in the government and country security because the government isn't competent enough to rule the country.

If the Wagner group did not decide to rebel against Putin some weeks ago, I am sure they would been seen to Niger as a military and logistical support for the new military regime that just formed there. As the War in Ukraine stands today, it is unlikely Putin will send a significant number of soldiers, though he may send other sorts of operatives, advisors and under cover agents to secure the interest of Russia in the African nation.

Also, I think the South African support for Russia has more to do with their mutual membership within the BRICS rather than an ideological alliance, as Russia has with their Allies in China.

I think more of this will hit other African countries too because the domination of the France government in some African countries where they are sending there raw materials to France and there citizens have nothing to write home about. The politicians also are one of the major problem of the reason why the force are taking over the government regime called democracy because the people are tired of what they are giving out and they are not receiving. I hope everything will be settled soon and the politicians can go back to the role they play as the leader that rules the country.

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.