African Soldiers' Style: "You Loot, We Shoot."
30 August 2023 Abiodun Kareem Giwa
Gabon in Central Africa joins the list of African countries under the military, creating confusion about how the region will handle the deteriorating development. News readers were shocked by the information as a lead story in major newspapers. The first reaction is whether the region will follow the path of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) to manage this scenario. ECOWAS mooted the idea of sending its special forces to Niger against the interventionists.
People say ECOWAS worry is justifiable. However, the first reason for opposition to the idea is that military intervention could lead to the deaths of innocent citizens. Observers call it a moral declaration of war against Niger. Secondly, they say such an intervention could mean an interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation.
No one thought about another military coup happening in another country in the region when the head of states in the hemisphere felt a need to stop the spread of a cankerworm. How will ECOWAS manage the fiasco if it happens while the leaders are still prepping for Niger? All that people had said was since the community did not intervene in Guinea and Mali following the military overthrow in those countries, what made Niger a particular case compelling the zone's intervention?
Nigeria must be concerned about a military overthrow up and down in countries it shares a common border. However, Nigeria is not directly between Niger and Gabon But it is almost the case. Niger is directly north of Nigeria but separated from Gabon by Cameroun and a few miles of the Atlantic Ocean in the South Eastern part. Can the Gabon case development be the cause of a recent news report about a rumor of a plan by some military guys in Nigeria planning the unthinkable? The military's top hierarchy condemned the story and said the country was better off as a democratic country. Little did anyone know Gabon South East would follow Niger's footsteps.
Where next in the region will the military strike? The answer is unavailable, with an apology to Davido -OBO, just like it was weeks before Gabon’s escapade. However, President Tinubu of Nigeria says it will spread. Now, a case of two countries with a shared ‘G’ - Guinea and Gabon, under the military boot. Guinea led the squad, followed by Mali and Niger, and now Gabon. Let us look at the reason Gabon military guys gave for their act.
The first is the challenging economic situation, followed by social disorder capable of eroding the peace. The military used the unacceptability of the last election results and the continuity of the Bongo family's rulership over 50 years as poisonous. The election debacle creates a need to debate the issue of election results, acceptability, and rejection in a democratic society. It is the primary cause of contention in modern times states. Everyone wants to win. No one wants to lose. Therefore, politicians are still determining whether to win at all costs. Victory is sweet no matter how achieved, but they forget the populace soon after settling in office. There is hardly any country without arguments over election victory and loss.
When Donald Trump won in 2016 against Hillary Clinton, his trouble began. The losers refused to acknowledge him as president. They said Putin helped him to win. And they did everything at their disposal to frustrate his government. In 2020, he lost the election and accused winners of a stolen election. And his trouble multiplied, even though he did nothing against them that publicly said he was not their president. If America, the home of modern Democracy, can be this rough over election victory and loss, what would one expect of backwater countries that don't even know the rule of law? To them, it is about the battle for the fittest. There are no rights under the law. Trump followed the rule of law in his administration, but his accusers are throwing the books at him.
What soldiers in Africa have been doing for a long time is what Governor Ron Desantis of Florida reminds us when he says to looters, "You loot, we shoot." African soldiers have long accused the politicians of looting and have been shooting their way into the government house. And they are right. The only problem with them is the lack of knowledge to steer the ship of governance.
People say ECOWAS worry is justifiable. However, the first reason for opposition to the idea is that military intervention could lead to the deaths of innocent citizens. Observers call it a moral declaration of war against Niger. Secondly, they say such an intervention could mean an interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation.
No one thought about another military coup happening in another country in the region when the head of states in the hemisphere felt a need to stop the spread of a cankerworm. How will ECOWAS manage the fiasco if it happens while the leaders are still prepping for Niger? All that people had said was since the community did not intervene in Guinea and Mali following the military overthrow in those countries, what made Niger a particular case compelling the zone's intervention?
Nigeria must be concerned about a military overthrow up and down in countries it shares a common border. However, Nigeria is not directly between Niger and Gabon But it is almost the case. Niger is directly north of Nigeria but separated from Gabon by Cameroun and a few miles of the Atlantic Ocean in the South Eastern part. Can the Gabon case development be the cause of a recent news report about a rumor of a plan by some military guys in Nigeria planning the unthinkable? The military's top hierarchy condemned the story and said the country was better off as a democratic country. Little did anyone know Gabon South East would follow Niger's footsteps.
Where next in the region will the military strike? The answer is unavailable, with an apology to Davido -OBO, just like it was weeks before Gabon’s escapade. However, President Tinubu of Nigeria says it will spread. Now, a case of two countries with a shared ‘G’ - Guinea and Gabon, under the military boot. Guinea led the squad, followed by Mali and Niger, and now Gabon. Let us look at the reason Gabon military guys gave for their act.
The first is the challenging economic situation, followed by social disorder capable of eroding the peace. The military used the unacceptability of the last election results and the continuity of the Bongo family's rulership over 50 years as poisonous. The election debacle creates a need to debate the issue of election results, acceptability, and rejection in a democratic society. It is the primary cause of contention in modern times states. Everyone wants to win. No one wants to lose. Therefore, politicians are still determining whether to win at all costs. Victory is sweet no matter how achieved, but they forget the populace soon after settling in office. There is hardly any country without arguments over election victory and loss.
When Donald Trump won in 2016 against Hillary Clinton, his trouble began. The losers refused to acknowledge him as president. They said Putin helped him to win. And they did everything at their disposal to frustrate his government. In 2020, he lost the election and accused winners of a stolen election. And his trouble multiplied, even though he did nothing against them that publicly said he was not their president. If America, the home of modern Democracy, can be this rough over election victory and loss, what would one expect of backwater countries that don't even know the rule of law? To them, it is about the battle for the fittest. There are no rights under the law. Trump followed the rule of law in his administration, but his accusers are throwing the books at him.
What soldiers in Africa have been doing for a long time is what Governor Ron Desantis of Florida reminds us when he says to looters, "You loot, we shoot." African soldiers have long accused the politicians of looting and have been shooting their way into the government house. And they are right. The only problem with them is the lack of knowledge to steer the ship of governance.
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