Remember, those who make peaceful change impossible, makes violent change inevitable!!!
Gabon had on August 30, 2023 joined the list of African countries whom have tested the taste of military coup in recent times, and expectedly, many people have expressed mixed reactions to that of Gabon, in the same manner we have done in the previous ones. And it has become our trademark, to wail, shout, talk and talk, and within few days/weeks later, the momentum would have died down and life “goes on” as usual.
The western countries being the biggest wailing block outside the continent, with several threats of sanctions and other measures/actions aimed at forcing the military junta back to the barracks. Yet, none of these approaches has really had a lasting positive impact on these trends, and as usual “life goes on”.
Now, how many times have Africa, who is at the center of it all, sat down to think, meditate and reflect on all these political crisis, especially on the causes and way forward? How sincere have we been towards tackling these political issues, either as a result of military coup or otherwise? No, we are only interested in making noises across all media platforms, just adhering to the bandwagon appeal.
Have you seen some of the videos capturing the reactions of citizens of these countries whenever the military junta takes the center stage in the political affairs of their respective countries? These people are often seen in wild and exciting jubilation over the military coup, what message then is such sending out? Your thoughts are as good as mine.
Take a look at the case of Ali Bernard Bongo, he is the son of his predecessor as President of Gabon. His father, Omar Bongo was the President of Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009, and in the same year, his son, Ali Bongo became the President of Gabon until August 30, 2023, when he was ousted by the military. One family has been ruling a country for over half a century, uninterruptedly. Meanwhile, same Ali Bongo has held several political positions in the country, including being Gabon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs during his father’s presidency.
Now, the major question amidst all these is, how has the “life and living conditions of the citizens of this country been” all these years? How has their lives and living conditions improved as well? Nothing much has really changed, forget about all the lies you would have been hearing from his allies or sympathizers. And it has been so across most of these African countries, both the ones affected by the wave of military coup or not, the story remains the same.
The fact that majority of the citizens of these African countries, who are at the receiving end of all these, are often seen jumping in jubilation and celebration, should have shown you the handwriting on the wall. Sadly, majority of those criticizing these military coups in Africa have hardly looked in this direction, all they are interested in is restoring democratic rules in the affected countries, after which they go back to their beds and sleep, leaving the same poor masses to continue to wallow in unending hardship.
We are not saying that military junta is better than democratic government in the actual sense of it, or that we endorse the unconstitutional ousting of any regime, or saying that coup has become the way forward. No, we are only looking at the hidden undertones behind all these military coups in Africa, which those fighting military juntas in the continent, especially outside the continent, has repeatedly failed to mention nor address, adequately.
Again take a look at Cameroon as well, Paul Biya has been the President of the country since November 1982 till date, this was after he had served as the Prime Minister of Cameroon from 1975 to 1982. He has made history as the second longest serving President in Africa, the oldest serving head of state globally, and equally the longest consecutively serving current non Royal country leader in the world, with no intention of relinquishing power any time soon.
Meanwhile, my problem is not basically the number of years these politicians have been ruling/leading their countries, but what positive impacts have they made in the country, in the lives of the citizens? Many of them have only left such legacies as impoverished citizens, heartless looting of their common wealth, human rights abuses, killings, torture of opposite voices, high ranking unemployment and poverty rate, even far worse than how they had met it.
These are the kind of leaders we have in Africa, and even those who are not in that list have only been prevented by the kind of countries they come from. Because if they too have seen same opportunity, they would have been in that list as well. And you expect people not to react, through any available means? No way, especially at a time more and more people are becoming more exposed, enlightened and educated.
Okay, how many of these democratic leaders have paid for all the atrocities they committed while in Office? And none of the defenders of the ousted leaders in the continent is talking about that, they are not interested in the plights of the poor masses over the years, in the hands of these so called democratic leaders in Africa, all they are interested in is returning to democratic governance, while hunger, hardship, diseases, sickness, high cost of living, etc, continue to send them to their early graves.
Well, be that as it may, we will continue to witness the military coups in the continent if all these issues are not adequately discussed and addressed. If those who fight military juntas in the continent continue to turn blind eyes and ears to these burning issues, then worse things should be expected to be seen, including political revolutions across the continent in the nearest future. Be warned, people are fast becoming wise, brave, enlightened and informed, far more than how it used to be in the years past, and as such, do not expect that things will continue to remain the same, no way!
(photos credit: Aljazeera, Punch, Vanguard)