A former Minister of Aviation and Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Femi Fani-Kayode, has blamed the African leaders, over the risen military coup in the continent.
Fani-Kayode who berated the political leaders in Africa, in his new essay ‘WHEN REBELLION IS A VIRTUE,’ in response to the recent political event in the African continent, where the military takeover of government is becoming more popular, said the sentiment playing out in the minds of most Africans today, is the words of a great Mexican revolutionary and courageous hero, Emiliano Zampata, who said “if there is no justice for the people, let there be no peace for the Governor.”
The former aviation minister stated that no less than seven successful military coups have been affected in seven African countries within a space of 3 years, asked if the actions of the military coup plotters can be condemned, and justified, as well as the justification for their action.
In defence of the coup plotters, the writer asked what can be done in a situation with “civilian dictators & sit-tight Presidents who have sold and mortgaged the future & destiny of their nation to the Western imperialists & neo-colonial powers & who torment their people & refuse to leave office.?”
He however curated from the words of the former President of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy, who said during his address on the 13th of March 1962, that ‘Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
Fani-Kayode who acknowledged that few people have stated such obvious truth in the history of humanity said while few people have learned anything from them, those who doubt the words, like President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Paul Biya of Cameroon have so much to learn, noting that they ruled their countries for 23 and 42 years respectively.
According to him, they were both constrained to sack, retire redeploy or replace some of their military high command, senior army commanders, and thousands of commissioned and non-commissioned officers, to prevent military coups in their country.
The APC Chieftain however stated that such action is temporary, noting that their so-called “mandates” lack legitimacy and they do not have the backing of the people.
He, however, warned that no matter who their military leaders are, whether old or new and no matter how many times they are sacked, retired, redeployed or changed, when the leaders are illegitimate, depraved and evil, who crushed, murdered, prosecute and incarcerate members of the opposition, rig elections, refuse to leave power, torment people and impose corrupt, bloodthirsty and blood-lusting dictatorship and dynasty of barbarism and tyranny on their nations, coups, mutiny, revolution and insurrection become inevitable.
“Unfolding events in Africa continue to intrigue the world & the fact that no less than seven military coups have been successfully effected in no less than seven African countries in the last 3 years gives cause for concern.
“What is the cause of these violent acts of mutiny & rebellion and can there be any justification for such behaviour?
“How legitimate were the mandates of those that have been toppled & are the soldiers that have carried out these ostensibly illegal acts of insurrection, revolution & treason & taken power by the barrel of a gun criminals & rebels that should be shot at the stake or God-sent & divinely-inspired heroes, liberators & deliverers of their respective countries & people?
“Can their actions be justified in some cases or are they appropriate for all & Can such a course of action ever be deemed appropriate for our country Nigeria? When is rebellion a virtue & when is it a curse? When is mutiny, revolution & a call to arms appropriate & when is it not?
“What does one do with civilian dictators & sit-tight Presidents who have sold and mortgaged the future & destiny of their nation to the Western imperialists & neo-colonial powers & who torment their people & refuse to leave office?
“These are just some of the questions that yours truly seeks to answer in this contribution. Enjoy the ride!
“On the 13th March 1962, in his
address on the first anniversary of the Alliance For Progress, President John F. Kennedy of the United States of America, said the following:
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable”.
“In the history of humanity, few have enunciated such a profound yet obvious home truth as President Kennedy has done with these famous words.
“Sadly even fewer have learnt anything from them. Those who doubt this have much to learn. Consider the following.
“Pres. Paul Kagame of Rwanda & Pres. Paul Biya of Cameroon has ruled their African countries for 23 & 42 years respectively.
‘Approximately 1 week ago they were both constrained to sack, retire, redeploy & replace much of their Military High Command, senior Army commanders & thousands of commissioned & non-commissioned officers in the light of the wave of military coups that have swept West & Central Africa & just one day after the one that took place in Gabon.
“This was a panic measure on both their parts. They did it out of rabid fear & in a desperate attempt to thwart, pre-empt & prevent a military coup & stave off an anticipated mutiny in their respective Armed Forces.
“Unfortunately for them, such peripheral & ineffectual remedies & desperate attempts to ward off all opposition & dissent in an attempt to hold on to power forever will not work because their so-called “mandates” lack legitimacy & they do not have the backing of the people.
“Worse still they are both oblivious of & blind to the rationale & ethos of mutiny & armed rebellion & are ignorant of the essence & motivation for military coups.
“Simply put, no matter who your senior military commanders are, whether the old or the new & no matter how many times you sack, retire, redeploy or change them, when you are an illegitimate, depraved & evil leader who crushes, murders, persecutes & incarcerates members of the opposition & who rigs elections, refuses to leave power, torments the people & imposes a corrupt, bloodthirsty & blood-lusting dictatorship & dynasty of barbarism & tyranny on his nation, coups, mutiny, rebellion, revolution & insurrection become inevitable: it is only a question of time.
“The great Mexican revolutionary & courageous hero, Emiliano Zapata said “If there is no justice for the people, let there be no peace for the Government.
“This sentiment is what we see playing out in the hearts & minds of most Africans today: no justice for the people and no peace for the Government,” he wrote.
