Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed the trend of coup d’etats in African Countries to bad governance.
In Obasanjo’s perspective, the practice of democracy without integrity bad governance, nepotism, and favouritism amidst sit-tight syndrome are fuelling the coup d’etat in Africa.
Military coups have swept Africa in recent times with countries like Garbon, Mail, Niger and Burkina Faso under siege of military rule.
Obasanjo while revealing his hate for military coup recounted his bad experience during the Gen Sani Abacha regime and his imprisonment in 1995.
However, he also reiterated that if citizens lose confidence in their leadership, they’ll definitely seek alternatives.
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Obasanjo was making these remarks during an interactive session with members of Africa for Africa Youth Initiative.
In attendance were delegates from Botswana, Benin, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
The event held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.
Speaking about his recommendation to stop the trend of coups, he had this to say:
“If some of the things coming out from these former French colonial countries are true like the Malians saying they don’t want to have anything to do with France again,
one might really be asking if France has ever granted these countries full independence.
Secondly, we are told that democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people, but you may ask which people?
And what does this democracy deliver?
On one occasion, I got about a dozen or two boys and girls who have attempted to go across the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean.
When they told me their story, I wept. When you see and hear that kind of thing, what do you do?
Yes, I love democracy, having suffered in the hands of Abacha, I will never love military rule; but if it has to come, what can we do?
“However, we should ask ourselves this question: Do we have conditions that are encouraging these coups on our continent?
“Because if we don’t have the conditions that encourage them, it will not happen, though this does not mean that we must encourage them.”
He expressed worry that the youths supported the coups, querying,
“Why are we allowing the youths to begin the search for liberators beyond the government of the day?
“When I left secondary school, I got five jobs. How many of you will finish university now and have five jobs waiting?
You will be lucky to have even one or two.
Think of a situation where somebody said there will be job creation, there will be employment,
there will be wealth creation, you will say wow, this sounds interesting, but can it be done?
Let me make it clear that I don’t support coups because personally, I have been a victim.”
