Gabon: Expect more coups in Africa – FFK
By Jennifer S. Kuwanta
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that there will be more coups in the French-speaking West and Central African countries near future.
Vanguard reported that Fani-Kayode said this following a coup that was staged in Gabon to topple the democratic government of President Ali Bongo, who has been in power since 2009.
Bongo was announced as the winner of the presidential election in the West African country on Saturday, having fulfilled a two-thirds victory at the polls.
The Gabonese military officers who were dissatisfied with Bongo’s family’s 53-year rule in power overthrew him on Wednesday.
Twelve soldiers appeared on national television to announce an end to Bongo’s rule in Gabon
Reacting to the incident which was the latest in the military takeovers spreading in the Sahel region, Fani-Kayode said this will continue in Africa until the stakeholders heed the warning he gave on his previous essay titled: ‘Does Killing Nigerien Babies Bring Glory To Our Name?’
In the article, the ex-minister condemned the cut of power supplies to Niger by the federal government which is adversely affecting the hospitals, and leading to the deaths of babies as pregnant women give birth.
He also criticised the influence of France on Francophone African nations, which has been leading to coups.
Fani-Kayode made these known via his X page on Wednesday morning, stressing that he was not surprised about the coup.
He wrote, “BREAKING NEWS: Sadly another coup has taken place in Africa.
“This time it is in the nation of Gabon where President Ali Bongo, who together with his late father Alhaj Bongo, had been in power for the last 53 years has been toppled and removed from office.
“It appears that the warning I gave in my last essay, titled ‘Does Killing Nigerien Babies Bring Glory To Our Name?’, was prophetic.
“I am not surprised that this has happened and frankly we should expect more coups in the Francophone countries of West and Central Africa for the reasons I stated in that essay.
“I wonder whether ECOWAS or the African Union will threaten to invade Gabon as well?”
