by Austin Aneke, 15 August 2023, original post here: https://gazettengr.com/austin-aneke-did-niger-witness-a-coup-or-revolution/
n July 26, 2023, a significant shift in governance took place in Niger, a Sahel country in West Africa: Mohammed Bazoum, the internationally recognised President of the country, was peacefully removed from power by his own bodyguards in what has been described as a bloodless coup. This event followed similar changes in Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which are also former French colonies.
The news of this regime change reportedly evoked massive celebrations and support in Niger. While many Nigeriens celebrated the overthrow, it also triggered strong reactions of anger and disapproval within certain segments of the international community, particularly from France, the United States and some members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Notable exceptions within ECOWAS include Burkina Faso and Mali, both of which have embarked on the path toward full self-governance and freedom from the influence of France. This process represents a significant departure from the historical norm, where France’s policy of assimilation perpetuated its control over former colonies, deeply embedding French values, language, and culture within French West Africa. Breaking free from this entrenched system necessitates a revolutionary effort.
The historical relationship between France and its former colonies is one marked by a legacy of extortion, servitude, exploitation, and underdevelopment. This relationship has perpetuated a facade of titular independence while glorifying the dominance of French influence. However, the resilience of the people within the French “former colonies” has demonstrated that there are limits to what they will endure.
Consequently, it begs the question: Are the recent political upheavals in French African colonies accurately characterised as coups, or should they be more aptly described as revolutions aimed at emancipating the populace? Can France and its Western allies passively observe as these colonies earnestly pursue genuine political and economic autonomy? The responses to these inquiries suggest that the sweeping political changes underway are indeed revolutions, not mere coups.
Yet, the reality remains that France, its Western partners, and the reactionary figures within ECOWAS who are aligned with their interests, are unlikely to stand idly by as these revolutions progress. The shifts in regime witnessed in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are not merely coups; they represent comprehensive revolutions intended to liberate the citizens of these “French” West African nations from the shackles of modern-day enslavement, exploitation, indignity, and inhumane treatment.
Reports from these nations indicate widespread and resolute support for the ongoing revolutions in these West African countries formerly under French rule. Spearheaded by men and women in uniform, these revolutions draw their legitimacy, authority, and justice from the collective will of the people, and they are aimed at total overhaul and fundamental change of the system, and as such, they cannot be labelled as mere coups.
These French West Africa regime changes bear resemblance to the Arab Spring of 2010/2011, though they have not garnered comparable recognition, simply because the West detests them, and seem not to have been involved in their planning and executions. Consequently, instead of the French West African regime changes being classified as revolutions, they have been characterised as coups, which must be stopped. This serves to underscore the complexity and manipulation of terminology in the realm of international affairs.
A coup is traditionally defined as “a violent and unlawful capture of power from an established government”. It is intriguing to observe that the Arab Spring revolutions, especially in regions where Western powers played a direct role and involved prolonged violence, have not been categorised as coups. In contrast, the regime changes occurring in French West Africa, which transpired peacefully, have been hastily labelled as coups. Notably, the recent developments in Niger involve the detention of President Bazoum by the agents of change, and his well-being appears to be ensured.
Contrastingly, the Libyan situation saw the cold-blooded assassination of Muammar Gaddafi through airstrikes orchestrated by American jets under the banner of the Arab Spring. Curiously, this tragic occurrence was not characterised as a coup. This discrepancy reveals the Western perspective that classifies any sudden or violent change in governance as a coup unless the change aligns with Western interests. To present it from a different angle, any shift in government, whether by force or through peaceful means, within Africa is designated a coup if it contradicts the preferences of Western powers. The hypocrisy and audacity of these Western powers in African affairs are starkly evident.
Indeed, the reality is that Western powers manipulate and tailor global events to suit their strategic interests. The deposition in Niger must be recognised as a revolution rather than a coup. This uprising possesses the potential to dismantle the longstanding economic and political stranglehold that France has maintained over its former African colonies.
The revolutionary leaders in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger stand as champions of liberation rather than as coup plotters. Their objectives are aligned with the pursuit of complete emancipation from the deeply entrenched policies of extreme acculturation, which France has imposed for centuries. These revolutionary actions extend beyond mere changes in government; they encompass profound shifts in the socio-political and economic landscapes, all accomplished without resorting to violence. Their defining attribute is a commitment to fundamental change rather than the mere reconfiguration of leadership.
Prior to the Nigerien revolution, the nation was often labelled one of the world’s most impoverished countries. This narrative is undergoing a transformation as Niger’s vast uranium reserves and lucrative airspace, yes, “air space”, come to the fore. These valuable resources now hold the potential to serve the interests of the Nigerien people rather than being exploited from a distant vantage point over 2000 miles away in France.
In the grand scheme, this series of events portrays France in the light of an international exploiter with a criminal agenda and a known source of underdevelopment of Africa, while the current leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger emerge as heroic revolutionaries leading their people toward true freedom and dignity. The imperative now is to afford French West Africa the breathing space it deserves.
Not even the current reactionary and dishonest regimes in Nigeria and Ivory Coast can stop the force of the revolutionary tide. Let me repeat: Even the present reactionary and deceitful administrations in Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire are powerless against the momentum of the revolutionary wave.
