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”.
Poor development
The former CBN chief stated that African countries have tried coups for decades and It did not yield real development, he added:
- “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.”
Mindset of Power
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.”
- “The focus on superstition instead of the rational science/innovation that has driven development elsewhere.
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.”
In case you missed it
Recall Nairametrics reported that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed cutting off electricity supply to Niger Republic as a direct consequence of its recent coup plot which saw the ousting of the country’s president by the Military.
On Wednesday, August 2, the BBC reported that major cities in Niger Republic were facing rolling blackouts because of the power supply cut from Nigeria. This was according to the Nigerien electricity company, Nigelec.
Why Nigeria supplies electricity to Niger and others
Managing Director of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, while addressing attendees at the Nigerian Power Consumers Forum said that Nigeria, through TCN, had been exporting electricity to Niger, Benin and Togo under a country-to-country arrangement.
According to him, electricity supply to the regional market enables the federal government to earn more foreign exchange for national development.
He also stated that the regional market would enable generation companies (GenCos) to export power to more West African countries, which will be evacuated by TCN transmission infrastructure.
In 2021, it was reported that Nigeria sells electricity to neighbouring countries for strategic purposes.
According to NBET Managing Director Nnaemeka Ewelukwa, who appeared before the Federal House of Representatives in November 2021, Nigeria sells 6% of the electricity it generates to neighbouring countries because of the issues of dams.