The military coup in Gabon has rekindled fear and tension among African leaders, particularly in the countries where democracy or civil rule is still operational.

They are jittery and afraid that the ill wind of coups that seems to be fast engulfing the whole continent of Africa might soon blow towards their countries.

Recall that in the last two and a half years, the continent of Africa has witnessed a resurgence of military coups, particularly in the west and central African sub-regions.

At the last count, no fewer than seven African countries, including Chad, Sudan, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and most recently Gabon, had fallen into the hands of the military juntas through bloodless coups.

It started from Chad in April 2021 and continued to Sudan in October 2021 and Guinea in September 2021. It spread to Mali in May 2021, Burkina Faso in January 2022, Niger in July 2023 and now in Gabon on August 30, 2023.

When President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger was removed and put under house arrest by the leader of the military junta, Adbourahamane Tchiani, African leaders were unsettled, particularly those in West Africa as they quickly condemned the development and made move to restore the ousted Bazoum.

The concern was not restricted to the West African sub-region; continental and international community was equally jolted by the development.

Western countries like France, United States of America and the United Kingdom were spontaneous in their reaction to the Niger coup as they all condemned and rejected the development.

Also, the regional body, the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the continental body, the African Union (AU), equally rejected the coup and suspended Niger as a member state from the two organisations.

But just as the ECOWAS was deploying every arsenal within its disposal, including threat of war in the event that diplomacy failed to restore constitutional democracy in Niger, another coup happened in Gabon.

The Gabonese army officers, under the aegis of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, sacked President Ali Bongo, placed him under house arrest and took over power in the oil rich central African country.