Why frequent military coup d` tats and overthrow in post independent West Africa
THE UNIVERSITY OF DODOMA
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
COORDINATOR: DR, KAPINGA
Why frequent military coup d` tats and overthrow in post independent West Africa
Prepared by Reward Gerald Kihedu-Bachelor of Education in Guidance and Counseling
Main body
Conclusion
West Africa is one of the main geographical regions of Africa it is bounded in the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean and in the East by the Cameroon and Adamawa highlands which separate it from equatorial Africa. In the North there is the Sahara desert. This is the western most region of the African continent. The area includes the following countries, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Cote divoire, Gambia, Nigeria, Mali, Liberia Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone and Niger. (Nyirenda 1997)
Besong. M (2005) has defined coup d’état as a quick and decisive seizure of governmental power by a strong military or political group. It is a sudden overthrow of a government usually done by small group that just replaces the top power figure. [edit]
A coup de’tat, also known as a coup,putch and overthrow is a sudden illegal deposition of a government usually by a small group of the existing state establishment- typically the military to replace the deposed government with another body either civil or military [edit]
Coup d’etat are common in Africa, between 1952 and 2000, thirty- three countries experienced 85 such depositions west Africa had most of them, 42; most were against civil Regime; 27 were against military regime, only in five were deposed incumbents killed.
Moreover, as a change of government method the incidence of the treat of one offices to effect the change of government, the military don not assume power, but install a civil leader acceptable to them. The political Advantage is the appearance of legitimacy, example are the collapse of August 2005, while the president was in Saudi Arabia (Huntington 1968).
The political scientist Samuel .P. Huntington identifies Three classes of coup d’état:
Breakthrough coup d’état; a revolutionary army our throw a traditional government and creates a new bureaucratic elite. Generally led by mid-level or junior officers. Examples are China in 1911, Bulgaria in 1949, Egypt in 1952, Turkey in 1960, Greece in 1967, Libya in 1969 Portugal in 1974 and Liberia in 1980 (Huntington 1968).
Guardian coup d’état; the musical chairs coup d’état. The stated aim of such a coup is usually improving public order and efficiency and ending corruption. There usually is no fundamental change to the power structure. Generally the leaders portray their actions as a temporary and unfortunate necessity. An early example is the coup d’état by consul sulla in 88BC, against supporters of Marious in Rome after the letter attempted to strip him of a military command (Ibid). [edit]
Veto coup d’état: occurs when they army voters the peoples mass participation and social mobilization in government themselves in such as case the army confronts and suppresses large scale. For example in Chile in 1973 (Ibid).
At the time of independence for most of Africa, around the year 1960, very few people could have fore cast the future powerful role of the military in the Africa political affair. From the first military coup d etat in west Africa- In Togo in 1963 to the coup in Guinea there have been over thirty successful coup in themselves of the sixteen ECOWAS state (Boahen 1945: 156) on the other hand since independence 1960s the region has interested over 40 successful military coup d’état and un constitutional changes of the government as well as a number of protected separatists on insurgent conflict and countless attempted coup (Gulteridge (1975).
There are a number of different causes of the military coup that have taken place in West Africa. The following are the reasons for military coup d’ tat in West African.
Coup d’état in West Africa occurred due to the corruption; Corruption in west Africa is perceived as a necessary evil. With low wages many employees of government including some politician find other ways of making ends. For example in Ghana corruption lavish spending and intolerance of criticism led to the welcome overthrow of Nkrumah in February 1966. For sometime there had been a growing feeling among the Ghananian that Nkurumah was directing too much of his energies into being as a international state men and that was ignoring his own country. (Shillington K 1995). In Nigeria Lt-col Kountches coups in 1974 replacing the government of Hamani Diori, this was a reform in response to the corruption and inefficiency of the Diori, regime at time a wide spread poverty and suffering due to the drought in the Sahel. The coups in Guinea in April 1984 that took place immediately after the death of the former president Sekou Toure was a popularly backed protest against the corruption nepotism and fiercely repressive government. Also coup lead by master sergeant Doe in Liberia in 1980 was motivated more by the selfish ambitions of the military that by urge to clean up the corrupt regime of the “Tru” whig party led by president To Ibert (Ibid) [edit]
Mismanagement of general election; In Nigeria the wide spread belief that election of 1964- 1965 had been rigged finally destroyed the credibility of civilian government. This led to lie first coup of January 1966 which was followed by another in July in this coup d etat about 200,000 were massacre on the other hand mi-management of general election in 1992 in Mauritania and 2003 where Mr Yaya was re- elected for a third time gaining 67% of the first round vote which said by the opposition group to have been marred by fraud and intimidation (Besong 2003:14).
Tribalism; in Nigeria since then the country has experienced civil war as different ethnic group compete for political power. Thus is mainly between the southern people (Igbo) and northern people (Hausa). In 1966 the group of army officers mainly the igbo over threw the central and regional government where prime minster Belewa and general Johnson Aguji-Ironsi task power of the government (World book Inc 2004: 418).
Assassination of leaders; In Nigeria Mohamed Murtala restored more authority to the government; he embarked on series of reforms and the administration and set time table for return to civilian and he was most respected leader by the military .Following his assassination in 1976 by the group of envious middle ranking officers in 1976 their attempt was in fact foiled under general Obasanjo (Shillington K. 1995) .On the other hand the first military coup in independent West African took place in Togo in January 1963 when president sylvanus olympio was assassinated by a band of ex-French, colonial army veterans led by sergeants Eyadema and Bodjolle. The western, aided by element in Togo’s army set, up a military Junta, but quickly installed a civilian regime by Olympians political rival Nicholas. (Boachen 1965).
Acute shortage of imported goods and galloping inflation caused by economic crisis encouraged coup d’état by the army. In Ghana, the third coup in 1978 by Lieutenant- General Akuffo was the result of this cause. (Ibid). [edit]
Different level of education; In case of Nigeria, southerners Igbos were highly educated than the northerners. Hence the idea division of Nigeria into 35 provinces tarmed by the military government decree no 34 scared northerners that it would replace northern civil servants by more educated southerners. For instance in late July in response to this, there was outbreak of mob ruling of Igbo in northern town and cities (Ibid). [edit]
The sudden news flash counter tats in Mali does not come on a surprise to me for two very important reason. The first that begs consideration the role of France in the security arrangement with all France phone Africa state (Kabin llyasu in www.exam.com)
Paulette meyitang Ngachoko (2012) in (www.lija.org) On March 22, 2012 a military coup led by the us trained captain Amadou Sonogo over threw the democratically elected president of Mali Amadous Tou man Toure, affectionately called ATT. was not running of a candidate, because it was the and of the 2nd term.
Violating or manipulation of constitution; lacking the might of former military and long-term civilian leaders, some of them attempt to manipulate the very constitutional instruments that had brought them to power. This in term led to political crises that were exploited by the military.For example the February 2010 coup in Niger is directly linked to the determination of president Tandja to manipulate the country’s constitutional arrangement in order to hang on the power. [edit]
Regionalism for example in Nigeria in 1966 there was ethnic revivals in Nigeria politics. This led to the breakdown of order and soldiers were used to restore law and order on the other hand personal) vary and regionalism in Togo’s was led to the second coup in January 1947 when Grunitaky was over thrown by Eydama who was alarmed of the threat of another take over following demonstrations (Bohan 1965).
Lack of transparency to economic sector; example in equatorial Guinea where few ordinary people are benefiting from the economic boom especially from oil and gas deposits this led to the military coup in 1979. (Besong, (2005:11). Another example can be draw from Guinea Bissau where there is allegation that government ministers and military personal are bribed. This is due to the fact that the country has been prone to drug shipment from Latin America and Europe (Ibid). This is among the reasons for the current coup which chappened on 12th April 2012.
Suppression of political opposition and lack of democracy; This is due to existence of totalitarian regime for example in Mauritania when president Taya came into power in 1984 and influenced the political system of the country which caused him to stay into power until 2003 when he was overthrown by colonial vall. (Besong 2005:15).
The Violation of human rights which causes a lot of discontents among the people; For example in Equitorial Guinea when president Francisco Nguema was over thrown by Teodoro Obiang Nguema. During his rule president Francisco Nguema caused a third of the population to free due to widespread of violation of human right. So the solution was a coup so as to restore the dignity of human rights (Besong, 2005:10). [edit]
Nature of the economy left by the colonialist( colonial legacy) ; They economy that African inherited from the colonialist was founded on cash crops and mining sector such as cocoa rubber groundnuts, cotton on one hand and the other hand copper, gold and oil but the amount of money obtained was diverted to personal pockets. The left over money was not though to help the developmental needs of the people. It became more detrimental when the price of the items produced fluctuated on the World Market. This led to the country foreign cash crisis as was the case of Ghana& Guinea her Economy was badly destabilized. The poor economic development was led establishment poor infrastructure in most African states and the emergency of military coup d etat (Isichei. C 1978).
Civil wars ;Due to tribe feelings and political ambitions National integration has became but a dream for some independent Africa countries. Example of this include the protracted Guinea Bissau, the war in Liberia and Nigeria. These place have become a boiling pot of civil strite where governments more often raid state coffers to buy ammunition and groups than to purchases Medicine and broke by (Ajayi J. F. 1965).
Contest of power ;Most African states have Witnessed severe competition for power along regional this lines “In Nigeria regions like Igboland began to clamor for autonomy in 1966- 1970 in Dahomey theory never struggle Among the political groups thought the continent. One ethinic group or gadition of groups has been in opposition to another groups supported by Most political practices (Ibid). [edit]
Lack of National unity; Colonialist Assembled different tribe so as to create modern African states. This was later not easy to establish (Create) National unity among African states for instance in Nigeria tribal condition among Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. The Hausa are interested in controlling the state against other tribes (Nigeria southerner against Northerners Website T.B 1968)
In order to end or prevent the coups, west African nations need to establish democratic governments, adopt an independent electoral code to ensure free and fair voting in elections, encourage freedom of speech and respect for human rights and the constitution. Also the Economic community of west African states can carry an important role in bringing to an end the coups in west Africa more importantly the civilian governments should always try to detect the coup in its “infancy” and take possible plans of making the coup not happening.
REFERENCES
Ajayi.J.F and Espire (1965) A thousand Exeros West Africa. Ibadean University Press
Besong, V.S (2005) Coup d’etats in Africa: The Emergence prevalence And Eradicatiion
Dovrn, Jacque (1969) , Military Profession and Military regimes the Hague: Mouton
Gutteridge, W.F (1975 ) Military Regions in Africa London: Methven and co.
Hunting .S. (1968) Political order in changing societies, Yale University Press: New Haven and London Retrived from www.forumsyd.org/the+provelution
Isichei E. (1978) History of West Africa since 1800. London Macmillan.
Samuel Decalo (1976) coups and Army rule in Africa studies in military style. U.S.A By Book crafterns inc. Fredericksburg Virginia
Webeter .TB. Boachera . A (1968) A History of west Africa. London Longman
World Book, Inc (2004) The World Encyclopedia: Research Guide and Index: Volume 22, USA, A Scott Fetzer Company.
World Book Inc (2004) The world Encyclopedia: Research Guide and Index- Vol 22, Field Enterprises Inc. Chicago USA.
PRERARED BY REWARD GERALD KIHEDU
THE UNIVERSITY OF DODOMA> BED-GUCO
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