Olu Allen
What happened in Benin over the weekend should jolt every democrat in West Africa, especially in Nigeria.
Soldiers appeared on national television to announce that they had taken over power, suspended the constitution, and dissolved state institutions.
For a country long considered one of the region’s more stable democracies, this was not just another headline. It was a warning shot.
And it did not happen in isolation. Only weeks ago, Guinea-Bissau was thrown into turmoil by another power grab.
Before that, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali had already tumbled into military rule.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), once the pride of Africa’s democratic renaissance, is slowly becoming a union of juntas, quiet transitions, and shaky civilian governments.
Now Benin has joined the list, proof that the ground beneath West African democracy is cracking.
Why the Coup Wave Is Back
The truth is simple: military coups don’t appear out of thin air. They feed on public frustration, weak institutions, corruption, insecurity, and governments that treat constitutions as suggestions rather than contracts.
Across ECOWAS, you can trace the same pattern:
Elections that lack legitimacy.
Leaders who stretch their stay in power beyond tolerance.
Corruption that becomes the signature of every new administration.
Economic hardship that leaves citizens feeling abandoned.
Security crises that politicians fail, or refuse, to solve.
When these mix together, soldiers begin to look like “saviours” to an angry population. That is how the coup era of the 70s and 80s began. And all the symptoms are back.
Nigeria Should Not Pretend It Is Immune
We may act like Nigeria is too big, too sophisticated, or too complex for a coup. But history does not respect pride. Every signal that triggered coups in the past is present and active here:
A recent failed coup attempt whose details remain shrouded in secrecy.
Banditry and terrorism spreading like wildfire.
International accusations that elements within government may be complicit—or at least negligent—in the fight against insecurity.
Widespread corruption that hardly shocks Nigerians anymore.
Public frustration with governance at all levels.
These are not abstract issues. These are the same cracks that military opportunists exploit.
Nigeria’s stability is not automatic. It is maintained, or lost, through choices.
Politicians Must Wake Up. This Is Not Business as Usual
If Nigerian politicians think this moment is about Benin, they are wrong. It is about the region slipping back into a familiar darkness.
It is about citizens losing patience with leaders who speak of democracy but practice impunity. It is about institutions that look strong on paper but collapse at the slightest pressure.
This is the time for politicians to:
Respect and strengthen institutions rather than personalise governance.
Stop treating security failures as political points, lives are being destroyed.
Show transparency, humility, and accountability instead of arrogance.
Bridge the gap between political elites and ordinary citizens, whose frustrations are growing dangerously.
Understand that democracy survives only when leaders behave like democrats.
If they don’t, the region’s coup contagion will not stop at our borders.
A Balanced, Patriotic Call
This is not a call for alarm. It is a call for responsibility.
Nigeria remains the giant of Africa, but giants fall when they sleep with their eyes open. The country cannot afford democratic complacency at a moment when its neighbours are falling like dominoes.
Our politicians must read the signs, act with wisdom, and prioritise the nation above their ambitions.
And we, the citizens, must do our part, defending democratic values, demanding accountability, and insisting that those in power serve with dignity and competence.
Because the question is no longer whether coups can return to West Africa.
They already have.
The real question now is:
Will Nigeria learn from the warning in Benin, or ignore it until it is too late?
Allen writes on public affairs and promote good governance. He can be reached on oluallen1904@gmail.com
