General Musa and Efforts to End Military Coups in West Africa
By Abdulsalam Mahmud
In West Africa, the affairs of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic are currently being steered by military juntas. Over the last six decades, no fewer than 200 coups have been staged in these nations and others across Africa, including Nigeria.
It was only 25 years ago that the military relinquished power to civilian authorities in Nigeria, after several of its generals had, at various points, piloted the country’s ship as Heads-of-State. More often than not, coups on our African continent have been brutal and gruesome.
Bad governance, however, has been the primary trigger. But there are other factors, such as poverty, social injustice, and the reckless amendments of constitutions by civilian presidents wishing to prolong their stay in power illegally.
Like the civilian authorities they oust, most junta heads become intoxicated by power. Hence, they perpetuate themselves in office, refusing to hand over power to democratically elected governments. It is apt to assert that military takeovers often do not fix a country. In fact, they never have.
Instead, juntas frequently trample upon fundamental human rights, silence dissenting voices, and abuse the tenets of democratic governance. Re-emphasizing what many already know, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, recently warned that military takeovers in West Africa pose a significant threat to democratic values and regional stability.
Speaking at the West African Defence Chiefs’ meeting in Abuja, General Musa stressed the urgency of stopping the wave of coups, which undermines the military’s core responsibilities. He said: “Recent challenges like the military coups in some countries in the region have had unintended consequences and have threatened our collective democratic values.
“This threat must be destroyed as it negates our core responsibilities as military professionals. Let me, therefore, use this opportunity to emphasize that, as democratic countries, we in the military must uphold democratic values in line with our various constitutions.”
The CDS further highlighted the importance of collective efforts, intelligence sharing, and cross-border coordination in addressing these challenges. General Musa expressed hope that the meeting would help prevent coups and ensure peace and sustainable development for citizens in the West African region.
His words: “I am optimistic that this meeting will assist us in preventing such abnormalities while strengthening our collective resolve to bring about peace and sustainable development to our people. Accordingly, the complexity of this meeting demands that we leverage our collective efforts, share intelligence, and coordinate our efforts across borders if we must solve these challenges.
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“Thus, collaboration is paramount and I encourage you to address both the root causes and symptoms of this insecurity in our region. It is on this premise that the agenda for this meeting was carefully crafted to focus on critical areas and build on our previous engagements.”
General Musa also pointed out that terrorism, insurgency, organized crime, violence, and unconstitutional government takeovers threaten national security and undermine the socio-economic development of the entire region. He addressed the assembled Defence Chiefs, saying: “Your presence here reflects a shared commitment and dedication towards living in a sustainable environment for the safety and well-being of our people.
“It demonstrates a collective drive to address the various community threats affecting the region through deliberate and concerted collaborative efforts. As leaders in our respective armed forces, we are all aware of the threats that confront our nations and regions.
“These threats include terrorism, insurgency, organized crime, violence, and most recently, the unconstitutional takeover of government and national politics. These challenges not only threaten our national security but also undermine the social fabric and socio-economic development of the entire region.”
The appeal of General Musa to his fellow Defence Chiefs is essential, especially at this precarious time when citizens of Nigeria and other African nations are being crushed by the yoke of bad democratic leadership. As we hope that General Musa and his counterparts will do everything in their power to safeguard democracy in their domains, it is also crucial to emphasize the responsibilities of elected presidents in West Africa.
Elected presidents in West Africa must eschew acts that undermine the principles of good leadership. They should resist the temptation to forcefully alter the salient provisions of their constitutions with the goal of becoming sit-tight and despotic leaders. The dividends of democracy are what their people are asking for, and which they rightfully deserve, and should get ordinarily.
In this context, the significance of democratic governance over military dictatorship cannot be overstated. Democracies, despite their imperfections, provide a framework for accountability, transparency, and the protection of human rights. Military rule, on the other hand, often suppresses dissent, undermines institutions, and concentrates power, leading to further instability and human rights abuses. True progress and stability in West Africa depend on nurturing and upholding democratic principles, ensuring that governance reflects the will and needs of the people rather than the whims of a few.
As such, these leaders should see it as their obligation to patriotically serve their populace by designing and implementing sound and progressive policies that will enhance the welfare of the masses. They should aim to fast-track the accelerated economic development of their countries.
The path to entrenching democratic governance at the expense of military dictatorship is not blurry. It is very clear to minds that can easily discern it, and then take concrete actions toward ensuring that the sovereign entities in West Africa do not fall into the craters of military rule.
Mahmud, Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, can be reached via: [email protected].
