In a thought-provoking session on public service and governance held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, former President Olusegun Obasanjo highlighted the underlying factors contributing to the recent surge of coup d’états across several African nations. Emphasizing the role of bad governance and the absence of integrity, Obasanjo expressed concern over the prevalence of nepotism, favoritism, and the perpetuation of sit-tight syndrome among African leaders.
Over the past two months, military takeovers have occurred in Gabon and Niger Republic, with the military citing poor leadership and mismanagement of national resources as the primary reasons for their intervention. Despite his personal aversion to military rule, shaped by his own harrowing experiences under the late military despot General Sani Abacha during the 1995 phantom coup, Obasanjo acknowledged that citizens, disillusioned by the maladministration of their leaders, are increasingly seeking alternative liberators beyond the existing government, leading to this wave of military coups.
