The term 'coup d'état' refers to the sudden overthrow and unlawful seizure of power from a government by a military organization to unseat an existing leadership by force.

Coup d'état is as old as the establishment of government. The first coup in Africa was staged on January 13, 1963, in Lome, Togo in which Sylvanus Olympio, the first president of Togo was assassinated by Emmanuel Bodjo. Ever since then, like a greyhound forced to taste fresh blood, the thirst for coups in Africa has recurred more frequently and at an alarming rate.

Recently, the re-emmergence of coup d'état has sprung up in Africa. Globally, in the last seventy years, the world has witnessed 494 coup attempts, 250 of them successful, while 244 of them failed. Africa alone is responsible for 222 attempts of which 144 were successful. According to various data and statistics, it is widely known and accepted that Africa has experienced more coup attempts compared to other parts of the world. The idea of coup d'état which is outdated in many parts of the world is currently ongoing in Africa as the new norm. In 2022, over 40 regions of the 54 countries witnessed one or more coup attempts, indicating that democracy is descending from the pinnacle of its ladder.

Coup d'états don't just happen out of nowhere, there's always a reason behind them. One of these reasons that gave rise to the resurgence of coup d'état in Africa is Corruption and Leadership failure. Those who are elected into power have hidden behind democracy to impoverish the people. This is evident in Niger.

Despite Niger's resources, it is still underdeveloped and the citizens are impoverished. Where do all their inputs go? To those in power! Aside from their enormous salaries, they still embezzle funds meant for the development of the country. This is why a coup ensued in Niger on the 26th of July, 2023. President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger was detained and the presidential guard proclaimed himself as the leader of the new military junta, making the coup a success and ever since then, Niger has been under military government.

This situation is alarming because most, if not all African countries are endowed with both human and natural resources, but how many of these countries can boast of good roads, quality healthcare, and a good standard of living? It's agitating to realise that African countries still beg for loans from foreign countries when they have all that they need.

Guinea is another example of this. They experienced poverty, poor standard of living, tax hikes, and price increases in basic commodities. Due to this, a coup happened and Alpha Conde, the president of Guinea was detained and deposed. Military rule was also established ever since then. Many neighboring countries find this event unfortunate, but it is surprising to see that many Guineans are pleased with this development. Is democracy therefore a joke?

This problem stems from Poor leadership and Corruption, which has led to a lack of economic growth. This is rampant in almost all African countries. Instead of using the resources available for the good of the country, the leaders corruptly enrich themselves, their friends, and their families. For Guineans to be pleased with the idea of military rule, they must have suffered at the hands of their former president, Alpha Conde, until they were pushed to their boiling point. If each African country had good leaders over the past years, Africa and its inhabitants would have been the richest in the world.

Another prominent cause that can lead to a coup d'état is Power obsession and Bad electoral processes. Power, they say is intoxicating, leaving those who taste it craving for more. This can be seen in the case of Zimbabwe's second president, Robert Mugabe who was in power for nearly four decades, from 1980 to 2017. During his rule, he consolidated power and suppressed opposition, which has contributed to Zimbabwe's economic decline to date. Even when he lost an election in 2007, he demanded a recount. However, he agreed to share power with the supposed winner but later refused to cede power. This is highly preposterous as he used nearly a decade more in power.

The lust for power when driven by selfish motives tarnishes the very essence of leadership. Mugabe, who fought hard for power as a liberator held on to it like an oppressor and tyrant. He once said in 2008, "Only God who appointed me will remove me." This relentless pursuit of power at any cost is disgraceful. It shows a complete lack of integrity and empathy. However, his leadership came to an end in 2017 when he was ousted in a military coup. After a military takeover and expulsion, when he was demanded to step down, he still remained obstinate and defied the order until a joint session of parliament met for his impeachment. It was after that he resigned. Zimbabweans, who had gained independence in 1980 came out and cheered on the day Mugabe's leadership ended and called it Independence Day.

Another occurrence presents itself in Gabon. On the 30th of August, 2023, a coup d'état occurred after it had been announced that President Ali Bongo won the presidential election held on the 26th of August. The coup brought an end to the 56 year long rule of the Bongo family over Gabon. How can a country that gained independence in 1960 be ruled by the same family for 56 years? Ali Bongo had won for the third time after succeeding his father who ruled for 40 years. He himself had spent more than 14 years ruling the country. The election results were cancelled and it was denounced as fraud orchestrated by the Bongo camp.

When an election becomes a means to an end, it becomes devalued. The poor electoral process has enabled several African leaders to disobey well laid out electoral processes in the constitution to access and retain power, and in all this bedlam, the people are usually the victims. This has happened in almost all African countries. Even our country, Nigeria, has not been free from electoral malpractices. In Guinea, in 2021, during the democratic rule of Alpha Conde, with his strong desires to remain in power, Conde changed the constitution to enable himself to secure a third term. This is evidence that electoral processes are a joke in Africa and this has given access to power obsessed leaders to take advantage of it.

Another contributing factor to a coup d'état is Insecurity and Terrorism. Many African countries have experienced coup d'état due to insecurity, instability, and terrorism. An instance emerges in the 2021 Malian coup d'état. Mali is one of the countries that are being exploited by terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaida. Sahel, which is the central part of Mali, is known as the global center of terrorism. This has caused insecurity, fear, and instability in the government. Malians had earlier protested about it but nothing was done until a coup erupted, and the President, Keita, was arrested and later made to resign.

What is the essence of having a leader when the whole country is in turmoil? Those leaders with their families are always safe from all this insecurity. The citizens are the major victim to this mayhem, which has led to loss of lives and properties, fear, poverty, and insecurity. On 30th September 2022, Burkina Faso also witnessed a coup d'état that removed Interim President Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba due to his incapability and shortcomings in addressing the nation's Islamist insurgency. All these issues have played a big role in the coups d'état that has happened in the past and are happening presently.

Undoubtedly, a coup d'état leaves an indelible mark on a nation's history through significant and lasting effects. One of the effects is Authoritarianism and Human Rights Infringement. Authoritarianism is when a form of government has almost absolute control over the public. This control is maintained by force, thereby nullifying the rule of law. In the absence of the rule of law, there are no human rights as the military which is the head of government now wields overwhelming power.

Following a coup, security forces often engage in mass arrests of perceived political opponents. Detainees may be held without trial, often placed in inhumane conditions and violating their rights. Some coups trigger violence and conflict, causing civilian casualties, ill-treatment and torture. Military rule often engages in curfews and movement restrictions, through this, citizens often lose their source of livelihood. This jeopardizes the right to life, liberty, and security.

There is also a restriction on the freedom of speech. They may shut down the media and restrict access to the internet. They might also arrest journalists. In the coup that happened in Guinea, it was the Armed forces that announced themselves on the broadcast television that they were taking over. This event was a reflection of what was to come. With military rule, all forms of democratic institutions such as the courts, press, civil service, and labour unions would be suspended.

Another effect of the aftermath of a coup d'état is Economic instability and Corruption. Even though democracy has its own shortcomings. Military rule has proven that the worst democratic government is better than the best military rule. One common factor of African countries that have experienced coups d'état is that they have not faired well economically, politically, and socially. Most coups d'état that happened because of the Corruption and economic mismanagement of a democratic rule often end up worse compared to those countries without coups. The economic effect of military rule is disastrous. Some coup leaders exploit their positions to seize control of valuable economic resources, mismanagement of funds and national assets, thereby leaving the country in poverty.

In the history of Nigeria, during Ibrahim Babangida's military regime, there was an unstable economy due to the frequent fluctuations in oil prices. The non-oil sector was abandoned and Nigeria became extremely dependent on the export of oil. Despite all that, Babangida mismanaged the funds that came from Nigeria's only source of income and this led to a rise in poverty, crime, and child abuse.

Many military leaders are after power and not for the betterment of the citizens. This is why in all the African countries that are being led by a military ruler, not a single one has become better. An instance is Mali, Mali's military government has been unable to solve the terrorism issue or improve the livelihoods of the country, which is the reason why the coup happened in the first place. Mali's military government was supposed to have returned the nation to democracy in 2020, but it kept postponing, and in 2022, it was announced that it would be delayed for another two years. This is obviously a delayed tactic by the military leader to extend his time in power.

Another effect of a coup d'état is the Withdrawal of International Bodies and Foreign States. Due to the coup d'état, a lot of Western allies have been compelled to withdraw their support, a situation which is likely to complicate peace, welfare, and stability of citizens. This is common to almost, if not all African countries that are under international bodies like ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States), UN (United Nations), and AU (African Unions). Following Guinea's coup, the country was suspended from African Unions, La Francophonie, and ECOWAS.

A country with a military government has nothing in common with international bodies that are after peace, stability, and the promotion of human rights. This is why even the global influence of America and her allies could do little or nothing towards African countries with coups d'état. Even ECOWAS has failed to find a solution to this. Even though ECOWAS recently constituted a committee against coups to stop military interventions, the leader of ECOWAS, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is also the president of Nigeria is also facing significant pushback domestically.

Nigeria is struggling with its own insurgencies with fuel subsidies, cross-border movement, and commerce. How then can the ECOWAS leader and its committees solve this when they have their own pile of problems waiting to be solved in their own countries? Mike Agwam once said, "If I am given the opportunity to address ECOWAS, I will ask them one question. Which African countries have they saved from the hands of a military government?" The answer is none!

But the truth is despite all these international bodies loopholes and incapabilities, a democratic country can easily get help concerning a lot of matters but if it is concerning a coup d'état, it is useless.

Another effect of coup d'état is Ethnic and Tribal problems. Most coups often lead to disagreement and disunity in a country. This is more likely to happen especially when the country has various tribes. The Biafra war is a perfect example of this instance. Till now, even though Nigeria is a republic and democratic country, the country is still fighting tribal and ethnic wars everywhere. This is one of the things Coup d'état has done to Nigeria and many other countries. It has done more harm than good and its repercussions on a country cannot easily be erased.

The current story of Africa is far from the past predictions. To people who thought Africa would claim the 21st century, it has however fallen short. The challenge it faces today with coups, wars, terrorism, decaying social and physical infrastructure, democratic ills, seems to vindicate those who depict Africa as a lost hope. It is indeed sad to see how African countries have turned out despite the odds and fights towards striving to gain independence. This is an awakening call towards how the future of African politics would be. Will politics be less ethnic, more issue based and more democratic?

With the current situations of things, the future of African politics looks bleak. Military government is obviously not the best option here. In fact, this should be a wake up call as Africa may be riding a global wave of democratic recession back to the military regimes of yesteryears. I have two predictions against the future of politics in Africa. It is either it has taken a good shape or it becomes worse that Africans are seen as a threat to humanity. So, which way Africa?

We need to act now. Africa has been trying to integrate for 60 years, but it's time to break free from stagnation and embrace progress. The first step is reforming the political system. Citizens, not just leaders must get involved. Given the way democracy works in Africa, it is up to citizens to demand changes in the constitution, politics, elections, and the economy.

For too long, African citizens have waited for governments to act, which hasn't worked well. It is time for citizens to actively shape leadership and institutions for better governance. They should push for policies, strong institutions, and investments in public services. Only by working together can African citizens push their governments to make positive changes. As Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world." Africa needs to fix its politics now to have a bright future and to avoid leading ourselves back to where we fought hard to leave.

Also, for the future of politics in Nigeria to be secure, Africans have to reform the word "politics." The term "politics" is seen as a dirty game. How can politics be a dirty game when its consequences are significant have impacted the lives of countless individuals? African politicians are not guiltless of this as they see politics as a money making scheme and that is why they lack empathy for the people after they have been elected into power. Politics should be about serving the citizens as that is what democracy is all about.

When politics and leadership in Africa don't serve the public's best interests and prioritize personal gains over what's good for everyone, it causes problems. This leads to bad governance, which in turn hinders economic and human development. Corruption and misuse of public money have become common, eroding people's trust in their governments.

For Africa to have a better future, the continent needs to address its political issues. If it doesn't, things will stay as they are which makes us nothing different than we were in the 60's. Just as past movements fought for African nations recognition and freedom, creating a political environment that supports democracy, good governance, and development is crucial. It is highly expected of us to maintain the legacy that was left behind.

Politics is an essential factor in the development of any country and Africa is no exception. Political leaders are responsible for making decisions that affect their citizens economic, social, and political well being. Africa’s politics are broken and dysfunctional which is why despite the abundance of natural resources and growth potential, many African countries continue to struggle to achieve sustainable development. The fact that politics is seen as a game means the idea of politics and politicians needs to be addressed, and this is where constitutional amendments come in.

Constitutional amendments can have a significant impact on the future of politics in Africa. The constitution should be strengthened to prevent leaders from escaping accountability. To begin with, candidates for public office should be scrutinized for at least a year before campaigning. The huge salaries of leaders should be reduced, as these large salaries are more than sufficient to support a state. It's infuriating that no one forced them to seek power. Yet, with their enormous salaries, they still amass wealth through embezzlement.

If these salaries are reduced and redirected towards essential needs like education, increasing workers' salaries, aiding the needy, and developing the country, perhaps it could deter power hungry individuals and encourage genuine candidates for good governance. Amendments to the constitution should also align with their commitment to serving the country, as stated in their manifestos.

The constitution should also reinforce key principles such as the separation of powers, effective checks and balances, a free press, and an independent judiciary. Among these, a strong independent judiciary stands out as crucial. To promote a more equitable political environment, the judiciary should not be subservient to the legislative and executive branches. A country cannot be free of crime when the judiciary does not hold much power. In Nigeria, the executive president wields more power than the entire judiciary which is inappropriate for a democratic ruling system.

In many African countries, the situation is similar, allowing corrupt leaders to escape accountability. There should be constitutional amendments to ensure that leaders in power are constantly reminded that they are accountable to the majority rather than themselves. If they don't perform well during their tenure, there should be consequences. The constitution should be reformed to prevent corruption, economic decline, and dictatorship.

Africa holds great potential, it is evident by the recognition that Africa's youth are one of its most valuable assets. Within Africa, one finds a vibrant community of entrepreneurs, engineers, students, scholars, farmers, and future leaders eager to help transform Africa. Africa has a sizable youth population, and they are increasingly engaging in politics and advocating for change. If given more opportunities, their active participation will definitely shape the future of politics with new ideas and perspectives.

To enhance the future of African politics and in order to avoid uncontrollable coups, we must also embrace change and utilize technology as a core asset. With the rapid advancements in technology, I strongly believe that the future of African politics will be influenced. Emerging technologies like CCTV cameras with facial recognition systems, drones, robots, and smart cities have the potential to enhance the educational system, raise awareness, boost government revenue collection, promote transparency, deter electoral malpractices, and curb corruption. Cameras and facial recognition can also aid authorities in responding to security threats.

These emerging technologies should have a powerful impact on the security and stability of African countries. However, even with the awareness of this, many African countries are still lagging behind. These technologies are currently available in 2023 and African countries shouldn't take them for granted. If such technologies are available now, it is assured that more will come in the near future.

The rapid spread of the internet across African countries is also a key driver of how the future of Africa will turn out. Nevertheless, the rapid spread of the internet across Africa has downsides. For one without affordable internet and reliable power, internet access will remain out of reach for many low income Africans living in rural areas. If Africa cannot achieve stable power usage today, what can we expect for its future?

To secure a more promising future for Africa, it is vital that governments, organizations, and stakeholders invest in ensuring both stable power infrastructure and affordable internet access. This can pave the way for rural and low income communities to access the benefits of the digital age. If these issues are not addressed promptly, the digital divide may widen, leaving Africa behind in terms of the opportunities that the internet can bring and this should not be postponed any longer.

In the future, it would indeed be disheartening to witness that while other countries has achieved progress in the past, African nations are only accomplishing them many years later and labelling it as an achievement. The crucial question to ask would be, where were they when these developments were happening worldwide? I am genuinely concerned about Africa being left behind and now is the right moment to prevent that from happening.