MILITARY COUPS IN WEST AFRICA: AN INDICTMENT ON PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI.

ICHEOKU says for a supposedly acclaimed leader of the West Africa sub saharan region, it is regrettable that President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria does not wield much influence on the countries in the sub region, to effectively influence events therein. This further questions Nigeria's tall tale of being the leader of West Africa or as Nigerians often delude themselves, the giant of Africa. If a giant cannot persuade a lilliputian to conform to order and not to carry out illegal acts, what use then is having such a giant anyway? 

The military in countries of West Africa has been carrying out coups, one country after another, such that today about four democratically elected governments have been forcibly removed from office without any retribution from Nigeria. Chad, Sudan, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso have had military coups as of late and President Muhammadu Buhari did nothing to either prevent these coups or counter them, why? That these countries, except for Sudan, are former French colonies and Paris was expected to take the lead on countering these disruptions of democracy, is an argument somewhat in favor of Nigeria's passivity, but it should not entirely exculpate Nigeria for tolerating these many military coups in the West African sub saharan region. 

What message does it then send to the military in other countries, that it is now alright for them to forcibly change their governments and the heavens will not come tumbling down on them. So, ECOWAS makes empty threats and issues sanctions, and then what? Those military juntas are still pushing ahead with governance and waxing stronger without even blinking or sincerely negotiating for a return to democracy in these countries. What use then are these ECOWAS threats and sanctions when they have no teeth nor meaningful force behind them, to bring about a change of mind in the military and make them stipulate to a definite short time period within which to return their countries back to democracy. 

A time it was in the past when Nigeria had capable leaders who commanded respect and influence in West Africa and Africa in general. These leaders of yore would not have tolerated such upturns of governments by the military; and if they couldn't persuade the military to back down from such coups, they would put various pressures to bear on them to force them to yield power, including a threat of use of force to topple such juntas. The July 16, 2003 military coup in Sao Tome and Principe is one such example when Nigeria had a leadership that asserted itself in the region. The then President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria ordered the military coup leaders to stand down and personally led President Fradique de Menezes, who was visiting Nigeria when the coup that toppled his government took place, back to Sao Tome and ended the military putsch. 

But with President Muhammadu Buhari, it appears that he has too much on his plate already to want to add more to it: Boko Haram insurgency, the bandits, Fulani terrorists, worsening insecurity, IPOB freedom agitators as well as other small groups including the Yoruba Nation agitators. He is also old and weak to be effective; and like President Joe Biden, he does not appear to be in control of even his own personal affairs, talk-less of being fully cognizant of what is going on in West Africa. It is a sad state of affairs and the fact that Paris is not even batting an eyelid over these military coups in its former colonial countries is also very disturbing, to say the least. May be it is the outcome desired and tacitly approved by Elysee Palace to keep Africa, going and coming.

Who knows for which country the military coup's bell shall toll next, whether Nigeria or Ghana or Senegal. But anyone placing a bet on it should put it on Nigeria as the military might strike before the year's end to prevent a power shift to the south. It is the game which the north dominated military often plays, stage a palace coup against a fellow northerner towards the end of their term just to prevent a southern from ascending to power. But whether the south will accept it this time around will be seen when and if a military coup eventually takes place. Now, President Muhammadu Buhari's ineffectiveness is not only being felt in Nigeria but throughout the West African sub region and by extension, the entire Africa continent. With no leader to give direction, the region and Africa is gradually falling apart and the Ethiopian civil war is still raging on.