Africa must refrain from military intervention in the Niger coup crisis

A crossroads for West Africa and the future of the region

I want to start here; Nigeria should not go into Niger with troops to force any kind of action regardless of our position in ECOWAS. There are other ways to handle this where we respect our neighbours and avoid being used by foreign interests.

Historical Precedents and External Influences

Is West Africa on the brink of a regional war? While this isn’t a news publication and I’m more focused on the wider perspective of Africa, it’s history and future, I believe with situations such as the Niger unrest and BRICS, our present will shape that future.

The recent coup in Niger has reignited discussions on foreign interventions in African nations. This bears a striking resemblance to the Libyan crisis, where US led international involvement, under the guise of liberation during the Obama administration, has led to prolonged chaos in that country. Libya is a disaster now and they owe much of that to what the US propagated there. You remember how that crisis was on the news 24/7 as America pressured every country to back their push for regime change in Libya? It happened, they left and that country subsequently collapsed.

The thing about the Niger coup is that it’s given the likes of Russia a greater foothold in Africa. The Wagner group, mercenaries that have been expanding their footprint in Africa, are also gaining ground on the continent. Essentially Russia and other entities are providing options for African countries that are finally rebelling agains the west in force. The question is whether these new options are good for us? I believe they are necessary evils as long as we are aware of what and who we’re dealing with. No one is Africa’s friends.

The West’s strategy has always been divide and conquer, characterized by their selective interventions on the African continent with an aversion to unpredictable leaders labeled as dictators. I’m not saying democracy isn’t a good thing for a people, but you have to question the motives of those supporting such a system in Africa when democratic leaders seem more focused on maintaining the status quo with them rather than actually improving the lives of the people.

I struggle to name a single democratically elected president in Africa since independence that has actually lifted their nations as a whole out of poverty and away from western influence. The truth is such leaders are unfavourable to western powers because they are harder to control or influence. Ironically, many African countries were more prosperous under dictatorships than without which is an insane truth. Nigeria for example was far more stable during our various dictatorships in my lifetime and that is from my first hand experience. Again, I am not saying dictatorships are good, but what it highlights is the incentive for the west to have democratic systems where those leaders are beholden to them and maintaining the control they have over African affairs.

The Proxy War, Western Interests and African Sovereignty

With the widespread access of information through the power of social media, direct interventions by Western nations in African affairs has become a public relations challenge. The west simply can’t just do what they want to do as has been the case in the past when all their actions happened in the darkness of information control via mainstream media. The mainstream media is dead. It is new media such as this platform that has allowed us to be more informed about what’s really going on in our continent.

This is why the often used system of proxy wars has become crucial in pushing African nations to act on the West’s behalf. Countries like Nigeria and Senegal are now being lured by potential rewards that will find us acting in line with Western agendas rather than African interests. What bothers me about this is the idea that Nigerians as a people are behind any possible intervention in Niger. We’re most definitely not.

This isn’t just about the coup or the actions of the coup plotters, it’s about Africa's right to self-determination. There is a war on in Sudan right now. Where is the US and France on that? There has been over a decade of unrest in Libya because of western intervention. Where is the US and France on that? Where are they for Ethiopia, Congo? Those nations are in the position they want, however Niger’s Uranium is at stake now. The idea they won’t have direct control over their access to those deposits is a serious matter. The selective intervention by external powers, evident in their absence in the crises in those other nations highlights what they’re really about. African nations must resist the temptation to be pawns in this global power game.

African Unity, Sanctions, and Governance

The unity of African nations is paramount, especially in the face of external pressures. The support shown by Algeria for Niger, despite not being a direct stakeholder, exemplifies the solidarity that African nations can and should exhibit. Algeria has said military intervention is not advised and dialogue is needed. This is exactly how it should be for us as Africans. Respect your neighbours and talk to them. You don’t force your brothers and sisters with guns to bend to your will. Why hasn’t America invaded Russia for invading Ukraine? Why isn’t America imploring European nations to exert military force on Russia?

They won’t try that because they’re afraid of them. They respect their power. They do not respect Africans.

The decision by some ECOWAS countries to impose sanctions on Niger post-coup raises questions about their motivations. Are these sanctions in Africa's best interest, or are they a reflection of Western influence? Nigeria has no business over there with the multitude of problems we have. Nigeria provides Niger 90% of its energy. Nigeria can’t provide our own people with 24/7 energy.

The Path Forward: Unity and Self-Determination

The Niger coup crisis is a crossroads for the continent. What we do now will affect the region of West Africa for decades. Everything I talk about on my platform will be affected by this because our relationships with our neighbours is at stake. Nigeria going into Niger isn’t just us versus one nation but Nigeria versus Niger and all their African allies such as Mali and Burkina Faso. Is it really worth it to divide Africa in a war we don’t need to fight?

Dictatorships are nothing new to us. It’s the west that are more interested in what this can mean for their interests. The question we should be asking is why so many coups have happened in Africa in recent years. The answer to that lies in the divisions forced upon us in the scramble for Africa in 1800’s and the determination of western forces not to relinquish influence over our nations. Thus the incentive for corruption is high. Comparing Africa to other parts of the world that had colonialism is ridiculous because African resources power the entire world and there is nowhere on the planet with the diversity of resources that we have.

The path forward should be one of unity, self-determination, and a focus on the well-being of the African people. No one else’s opinion matters.

Are you reading my premium series on Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt? Part 3 is out later this week!