Former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode has predicted additional coups in French-speaking West and Central African countries in the near future.
Fani-Kayode made the remarks following a coup attempt in Gabon to destabilise President Ali Bongo’s democratically elected government, which has been in office since 2009.
On Saturday, Bongo was declared the winner of the West African country’s presidential election, having received a two-thirds majority of the vote.
Gabonese military officers who were fed up with Bongo’s family’s 53-year reign deposed him on Wednesday.
Twelve soldiers appeared on national television to announce an end to Bongo’s rule in Gabon
Reacting to the incident which was the latest in the military takeovers spreading in the Sahel region, Fani-Kayode said this will in Africa, until the stakeholders heed the warning he gave on his previous essay titled: ‘Does Killing Nigerien Babies Bring Glory To Our Name?’
In the article, the ex-minister condemned the cut of power supplies to Niger by the federal government which is adversely affecting the hospitals, and leading to the deaths of babies as pregnant women give birth.
He also criticised the influence of France on Francophone African nations, which has been leading to coups.
Fani-Kayode made these known via his X page on Wednesday morning, stressing that he was not surprised about the coup.
He wrote, “BREAKING NEWS: Sadly another coup has taken place in Africa.
“This time it is in the nation of Gabon where President Ali Bongo (pictured below), who together with his late father Alhaj Bongo, had been in power for the last 53 years has been toppled and removed from office.
“It appears that the warning I gave in my last essay, titled ‘Does Killing Nigerien Babies Bring Glory To Our Name?’, was prophetic.
“I am not surprised that this has happened and frankly we should expect more coups in the Francophone countries of West and Central Africa for the reasons I stated in that essay.
“I wonder whether ECOWAS or the African Union will threaten to invade Gabon as well?”
BREAKING NEWS: Sadly another coup has taken place in Africa.
This time it is in the nation of Gabon where President Ali Bongo (pictured below), who together with his late father Alhaj Bongo, had been in power for the last 53 years has been toppled and removed from office.
It… pic.twitter.com/kvlJTZKQub
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) August 30, 2023