Why coups are on the rise in West Africa –Moghalu

Kingsley Moghalu, a former deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)  stated that the reason coups are on the rise, especially in the Sahel comes from the way we practice leadership in the region citing corruption and the absence of rule of law/accountability.

Moghalu disclosed this on Sunday coming after the Nigerian Senate called for diplomatic means to bring back democracy in the Niger Republic, as Niger joins Burkina Faso, Mali and others in the “Sahel Coup Belt”.

The former CBN chief stated that African countries have tried coups for decades and it did not yield real development, he added:

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“We have tried democracy predominantly for the past three decades. We are still the poorest continent in the world. Now coups are on the rise in the Sahel. So, what is the problem? It’s fundamental and I will tell you.”

He also acknowledged that another factor which has seen the Sahel region go the path of failed governments is the absence of rule of law and accountability which can be related towards our “worldview”, he said:

“It’s the African mind. Our worldview, our mindset. The way we think, the arrogance of power, the corruption. The absence of rule of law/accountability.”

Moghalu warned that Low-level thinking leads to low-level actions, which leads to low-level outcomes. Period. Solution? Return to basics, adding:  “Worldviews are fundamental. We must ask ourselves who we are, where we have come, where we are going, how to get there, and the values that underpin our societies.”