The news of the coups d’etat in Benin has become a topic of discussion stirring different strands of concerns. Believers in the Western imposed democracy of the 1990s are expressing concerns over change of government through the barrel of the gun rather than through the ballot. This is coming after the Republics of Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali have executed successful coups leading to military rule.
The Coups in these countries were condemned by ECOWAS, Nigeria and Western countries and some individuals. As soon as the coups succeeded, the three countries decided to show France the door in a real drive to assert their sovereignty and control their resources. They also drove away the Western mining companies that were profiteering, keeping poor and undeveloped in the name of business and investments. The West is angry at their decision to take over the control of their mineral resources. They are still being threatened. Their fear of the West working with wiling African countries to sabotage them seems real. They are very apprehensive and suspicious.
The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as ECOWAS Chairman, opposed the coups, announced sanctions including cutting off power supply from Nigeria to Niger including the threat of the use of military force to “restore democracy.’ Although ECOWAS opposed the military change of government, the citizens in the three countries appeared to welcome the change, thereby conferring legitimacy on the military regimes.
The announcement by the Nigerian President – as the Chairman of ECOWAS – triggered reactions from within and without Nigeria, united by one position: no war against a sister African country. The people in the northern parts of Nigeria opposed the idea of deploying the military against the Republic of Niger. Very important dignitaries raised their voices against fighting Nigeria’s most friendly neighbour. Religious leaders, traditional rulers and business persons joined in the opposition to any military response. The sanctions announced against Niger stood. Fortunately, no senseless war against Africans in another country happened.
The Republic of Niger became apprehensive and highly suspicious of Nigeria. The relationship between the Nigerian and the Nigeriene Government was never the same. The regime in Niger, along with Burkina Faso and Guinea, announced its withdrawal from ECOWAS. They formed what they called the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES). Although there were attempts to woo them back into the fold of ECOWAS, the three countries remained adamant, opting to go their way. This withdrawal from ECOWAS is a sad commentary on the way the regional body handled the situation. The platitudes about democracy was the best form of government became challenged, particularly among young people who argue, correctly, that the elections lack legitimacy, were manipulated and based on unconstitutional abolishing of term limits. So with or without democracy, the same abuse, misuse and exploitation to remain in power – a surviving culture of “sit-tightism.”
It is important to note that the return to democracy, with all the beautiful epithets attached to it, had become for many countries a hollow ritual, promising a lot but delivering frustrations. The AES countries exposed the character and degree of exploitation of Africa despite their declared independent. It was democracy without sovereignty. Burkina Faso took the lead in demonstrating what African countries need to do to free themselves from the colonial fetters that exploit them, underdevelop them, keep them poor and sidelined. The taking over of the direct control of the mines and mineral resources of their countries became – an illuminating – eye opener. With the progress being demonstrated in terms of services to the people and the campaign against terrorists make many African feel that there are better ways of managing African countries.
That may be a reason for the coups d’etat in the Republic of Benin. The Nigerian government claimed that the Government of the Republic of Benin requested for Nigeria’s military assistance, to quelll the attempted coups and ensure the “restoration of democracy.” The Nigerian Government announced that it has sent its Air Force jets to intervene. A day after the coup, the situation remained uncertain. There were reports of attacks to contain the coupists.
The decision of the Nigerian Government t intervene in Benin would and generated different reactions. There are those who believe that military intervention is not just right considering that it may degenerate into Africans fighting one another. There are those who think that Nigeria is acting correctly, to stop unconstitutional change of government. Within Nigeria, there are citizens asking why Nigeria is not deploying the same energy to bring the insecurity in the country to an end, but has sent the military to intervene in Benin.
Then another report seemingly different from the events in Benin came that a Nigerian Air Force C130 transport had breached Burkinbe airspace. While the Nigerian government claimed that the plane developed a fault and had to land for safety, the authorities in Burkina Faso said that they had to force the Nigeria Air Force plane to land for breaching its air space. This happened at a time that the AES countries are thinking that Nigeria is willing lackey of the West, ready to be used to sabotage the independence revolution in their countries. This suspicion has been repeated by these countries.
The recent unresolved coups d’etat in Benin and Nigeria’s intervention will open a vista of discussion on the future and stability of the region. Given the deployment of soldiers to that country and, by any reason, the few escaped coupists were to get the support of the AES countries, the fear of instability in West Africa will become a reality. While this will set one African country against another or others, the beneficiaries will be the Western countries by readily selling weapons, negotiating mineral deals and keeping the economies in the region poor, exploited and underdeveloped.
Prof. Muazu writes from the Mass Communication Department, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.
