One of the hallmarks of most African politicians which is so shameful is bribery and corruption. It’s either they are the ones giving the bribes to receive something in return or they are the ones receiving it. And, it’s this vice that has contributed to the underdeveloped state of the African continent and also made it look like Africa is not capable of self-governing. But that is not true, just like there are bad leaders in Africa, there are also good ones even though there may be few who care about the people and the state of the country. Recently, one African leader just proved to himself that he can be trusted by the people and he is part of those good few. Surprisingly, this leader is not from the democratic system which has been touted as the best government in the world but from the military and he is none other than the military junta of Niger, General Tiani, who took power in Niger through a coup in July 2023.
Not surprisingly, when he came into power, he and his fellow cabinet were condemned by the world as well as the regional body, ECOWAS, and asked to return power to civilian rule as soon as possible. The only place he received support was from the people of Niger who were already tired of the poverty and suffering under the deposed French puppet President, Mohammed Bazoom, and his fellow military leaders from neighboring Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. Despite the pressure from the West, Europe, and the regional bloc, General Tiani refused to give in and chose to endure the sanctions from the international community and the threat of military intervention by the regional bloc under the leadership of Nigerian President Tinubu. Today, this defiance has paid off as French forces have been kicked out, the unfair French defense pact has been terminated and the world has begun to accept that Niger is currently ruled by a military ruler.
Niger has also joined forces with Mali and Burkina Faso to form the Alliance of the Sahel States to become stronger. Now, in a recent report released by a local Nigérien news outlet named Le Monde d’Aujourd’Hui, it was revealed that French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to bribe General Tiani with a whooping sum of 60 billion CFA Franc which is roughly about a hundred million dollars. And, in exchange for the money, the General was required to restore power back to Mohammed Bazoom. Doesn’t this sound desperate? Although it’s not exactly clear when this incident occurred, in our opinion, it was probably before the threat of military intervention by the regional bloc which France fully backed. The good news is that General Tiani firmly rejected the money and sent France back to its country with its tail behind its leg.
After Ibrahim Traore kicked out French forces from the country, France had to send the whole troops that were formerly in Burkina Faso to Niger. With Mali and Burkina Faso no longer on France’s side, France knew that its hold on the Sahel was gradually slipping and was desperate to ensure that its hold did not completely slip away. However, a final blow was struck when the coup occurred and General Tiani took over, effectively removing France’s favorite African President. Not wanting to let go of Niger, France decided to exhaust every available option to ensure that its puppet was reinstated. So, while on the outside, France was condemning the coup with the other Western countries, behind the scene the French government decided to use bribery to convince the Niger military junta to restore civilian rule. France probably thought that General Tiani was just like every other African leader who is notable for receiving bribes and turning in the opposite direction when they are told to do so.
However, President Macron received the shock of his life when General Tiani rejected the bribe and sent it back. It was when the bribery option did not work that France resorted to supporting ECOWAS’s threat of military intervention in Niger. Fortunately for Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso threatened to join Niger if ECOWAS dared to intervene militarily in the country, sparking a threat of war in the region. And nobody, not even ECOWAS, wanted war so the thought of a military intervention was dropped. So, all of France’s efforts failed, and Niger eventually slipped from its grasp leaving Chad as the only country in the Sahel that France still has a kind of influence over. But even that influence is shaky because the military junta of Chad recently paid a visit to Russia to discuss cooperation. If that cooperation with Russia is official, then France would finally lose every hold it ever had in the Sahel which frankly speaking is for the best because each of the countries in the Sahel are Independent entities, not colonies, and should never be under the influence of any country.
General Tiana’s refusal to accept President Macron’s bribe does not just show what an outstanding leader he is but also his commitment to the freedom and sovereignty of Niger. Just like Ibrahim Traore, General Tiani is a leader worth emulating. The fact that President Macron even thought that bribing the General was an option indicates that France must have used bribery countless times to ensure other African leaders fell in line with their plans and objectives. Those leaders, whoever they are, are a disgrace to what true leadership is and should learn from General Tiani. France’s attempt to bribe the Niger military junta just proves how desperate they were to relinquish their hold on a country that is not theirs but where they have enjoyed easy access to cheap natural resources at the expense of the Niger people.
During a recent interview, General Tiani noted how the people of Niger suffered severe damages from the sanctions imposed on them by the regional bloc, ECOWAS in August 203 and also disclosed a shocking statement made by the French President. According to General Tiani, amidst tensions between Niger and France, a member country in the European Union attempted to suggest a way out of the crisis brought about by the coup in a video conference with other EU members. At the time French President Macron was not present in the meeting. The European Union member country proposed to negotiate with Niger instead of taking a confrontational stance against the military government in Niger. However, when the French government was notified of the proposal, it was reported that President Macron responded with a very shocking statement.
According to the General, President Macron stated that Niger belongs to France and it is not the duty of any country to propose a solution to the issue at hand. What an outrageous statement. In response to President Macron’s comments, General Tiani stated that President Macron’s comment clearly demonstrates his ignorance of history because he apparently doesn’t know that Niger or the territory that is now Niger had already been established as a polity with its own social organization by the time the French Revolution occurred. The General further added that if the country in that video conference confirms his account of the incident it will prove that President Macron’s statement was made. He then concluded by saying that Nigwr does not belong to anyone but itself and that any country that respects Niger’s sovereignty and Independence will have a relationship and cooperation with the country as long as it is based on mutual respect.
General Tiana’s statement is very correct. Niger belongs to no one but itself and it’s time France begins to understand this. European countries such as Germany have begun to also understand this fact and note that the reason why Russia is gradually becoming accepted in Africa as a reliable partner is because they do not treat African countries as beggars or victims but as equals. If Franc wants to have any hope of resuming partnerships with countries of the Sahel then it must first change its attitude. Africa is changing and the wave of coups in the Sahel has not just brought changes in African geopolitics but also brought to the limelight distinguishable African leaders who come from the military. Africa needs strong leaders and the military might just be the place to choose from who knows?
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