Introduction
The African continent has long grappled with political instability, and one recurring spectacle that continues to haunt its democratic aspirations is the abrupt incidence of military coups. In recent years, and more especially, most recently, there have been a disconcerting resurgence of military interventions in governance across various African nations. This troubling trend raises significant concerns about the fragility of democratic institutions in the indwelling of administrative decadence, the aberration of democratic tenets, the prevalence of socio-economic challenges, corruption and the ignominious power struggles in these African democracies that propel these military takeovers. About a decade ago, African nations and peoples unanimously began growing discontent for military rule which had overwhelmed the continent from shortly after the end of colonialism, throughout much of the 70s, 80s to the end of the 90s. As globalization set in and the information age began to loom, a radically global campaign and proliferation of democratic ideals stirred up and democracy, because of its noble ideals and principles, began to be championed as the best and most sustainable system of government. The waves of democracy began to ooze whiffs of hope and promise in the hearts of people and the desire for democracy lit and began to burn fervently in the hearts of people. This was more especially in Africa some parts of Asia and Latin America, as most of Europe and North America had long embraced the practice of the system of democracy as their practicing political administrative modus operandi, and these nations were thriving, progressing before the notice of Africans. Africans thus believed democracy was the open sesame to national greatness and development and began to loudly clamor for a transition to democracy. The clamor blared incessantly and disturbingly that the khaki honchos holding the scepters of power across the continent began to make collected efforts and one after the other, in no particular order, began to transit from military rule to civilian democracies.
The United States of America, ‘The Land Of The Free And Home Of The brave’ played a pivotal role in the spread of democracy all over the world through propaganda and what I would like to call, ‘The Media Hocus Pocus’- through the mass media, especially television, the United States propagated, glorified and fed into the minds of much of the globe a number of ideals of which democracy was one of.
Moreover, most military regimes, because of their characteristic disregard for human rights, began to receive threats of sanctions and neglect from the Big-brother nations of the world. Consequently, these military rulers in Africa began to gradually give in to the calls for democracy and to, after all what not, save their faces in the picture of the international community and possibly escape punishment for their ills. This manifested in a dynamic that trended in these transitioning times- most military rulers who initiated these democratic transitioning, despite their past ratings and misdeeds, eventually became celebrated as heroes and from then on, have being receiving the warm embrace, caresses and accolades from statesmen in most developed countries and especially the world powers.
Yet, recently, this once denounced phenomenon has begun to witness an overhanging emergence and this development is becoming very unsettling. Could these happenings be an omen or could they be sending soft whispers? We are still to know, yet these sudden, recent and consecutive upsurges of military takeovers seem to want to cast a somber veil over the much thirsted hopes and fantasized rewards that these arising African democracies would bring.
As the international community looks on with growing apprehension, scholars and keen observers ponder deeply to decipher causes and patterns, as they gravely worry over the continent’s future.
Historical Context
The history of military coups in Africa is deeply rooted in the post-colonial era when newly independent nations struggled to establish stable democratic governance structures, eventually failing and birthing negative aftermaths like political instability. Amid the vacuum left by departing colonial powers and the woeful failures of the political class, military forces often already positioned, barged into the political scene, presenting themselves as arbiters of stability, howbeit through authoritarian rule. Over the decades, just after the passing of colonialism, more than many African nations witnessed the unfortunate cycle of civilian governments being ousted by military juntas. Altogether, Africa, since after her colonialism, has witnessed over 200 military coups, both successful and unsuccessful. Records show that there was a coup attempt every 55 days in the 1960s and 1970s and just a few number African countries never ever witnessed a military coup post-colonialism. In what was the Egyptian revolution of 1952, on the 23rd of July, King Farouk of Egypt was overthrown by The Free Officers Movement, led by Gamal Abdel Nassar and Mohammed Naguib Youssef. Albeit a military takeover, this incident is most notably known as The Egyptian Revolution. However, on the 13th of January, in 1963, after being kidnapped a night before, Sylvanus Olympio, Togolese first president and popularly known as “The Father Of Togolese Independence”, was gunned dead, just a distance outside the United States Embassy, while trying to flee a group of disgruntled military officers who happened to be carrying out a coup d’état. This is notably considered Africa’s first military coup, and it involved the assassination of the president. This was the trigger that led to the coup sprees in Africa after colonialism.
The Contemporary Surge in Military Coups
While the overall global trend of military coups has antiquated, even in Africa from the beginning of the 21st century and the military have been properly positioned in the polity (defense), most lately, there seems to be a reappearance of this sad reality of military takeovers and known to all, they appeared to eclipse another sad reality- the failure of the political elites to deliver good governance. This is a troubling phenomenon. Since 2020, Africa has witnessed ten attempted coups. Ten is quite a number for just three years and this is very unsettling. It is worthy of note to mention that all these ten nations are all former French colonies. Surely there must be a backdrop behind this patterned resurgence. Another revelation is that the masses are throwing their supports for the khaki honchos behind these putsches. The reasons behind this resurgence but we can only research and rationally deduce until more revelations unveil but by the look of things and avoiding euphemism, these recent military takeovers are arising as a result of disenchantment with democratic leaderships, political instabilities, deteriorating economies, the collapse and failures of democratic institutions, political fragmentation, shameless and flagrant electoral malpractices, abysmal corruption and mismanagement of national wealth, maladministration, nepotism and many more. Although foreign influence also plays a role in some putsches, these recent cases have stemmed more from internal than external factors. Surely these incidents spell no coincidence. However, the only unison they altogether bear is the unison in the prevalent socio-political and economic environment where poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment, corruption of the political elites, ethnic divisiveness, frustrations of the youths and all the sorrows that bedevil bad governance.
Implications and Challenges
The resurgence of military coups in Africa carries grave implications for the continent’s political stability, economic growth, and social progress. The cycles of military interventions disrupt the development of strong democratic institutions, erode trust in governance systems, and hinder foreign investment. Furthermore, these coups often lead to a downward spiral of human rights abuses, censorship, and the suppression of civil liberties.
Addressing the Challenge
To reverse this worrying trend, African nations must take decisive steps to strengthen democratic institutions, address underlying socio-economic challenges to bring out development and promote good governance:
Conclusion
This seemingly rising spree in military coups across Africa is a disheartening setback for a continent that has long aspired to achieve stable, prosperous, and democratic societies. The driving forces behind this resurgence are complex and intertwined, reflecting the persistent challenges that African nations face in their pursuit of political stability and socio-economic progress. However, promoting good governance is lightyears into preventing the malady of military intervention. African governments, civil society, and international partners must work in concert to bolster democratic institutions, address the root causes of instability, and foster a culture of responsible governance. Only through collective efforts can Africa break free from the shackles of military coups and pave the way for a brighter, more democratic Africa.
While good governance and the progressive practice of democracy strong mitigate against the emergence of military coups, there are still no guarantees that the military or a group of military officers can or will not strike again, however, they collaboratively form strong anchors that support stability in the society, promote collective development and make provision for peaceful transition of power which does not invite the disenchantments that have beckoned on the military for deliverance
Meze Goodspeed