Don’t succumb to the juicy fruits of power to enrich yourselves – Dr Amoah warns military

Dr Kofi Amoah has admonished military leaders who have toppled their despotic leaders in several African countries to offer a new level of leadership in the short to medium term to prove that their decision to truncate a flawed democratic regime was not for their selfish interests.

Dr Amoah, a big proponent of African liberation from neo-colonialism and imperialism made these remarks following the military coup in oil-rich Gabon.

Last week, army officers in Gabon appeared on TV to say they had taken power. They claimed to have annulled the results of last Saturday's election in which Mr Alii Bongo was declared the winner, but the opposition claims it was fraudulent.

Ali Bongo’s overthrow would end his family's 56-year hold on power in the resource-rich West African country and would be the eighth coup in a former French colony in Africa in the past three years.

Dr Amoah who is affectionately called Citizen Kofi, while congratulating the steps by the military to resist the oppressor’s rule warned that the military leaders should not be tempted by the perks of power to enrich themselves as that will defeat the whole justification that they came to rescue the suffering of the ordinary citizens.

Writing on his official verified Twitter handle, Dr Amoah said, “A MESSAGE OF CONGRATULATIONS AND OF STERN WARNING… To our gallant military personnel who have taken the bold stand to help liberate the suffering masses. We salute and congratulate you but please be warned not to succumb to the juicy fruits of power to enrich yourselves. That will be a big blow to Africa’s psyche, confidence and dignity. Dig in deep and truly focus, this time, to show Africans and the world that contrary to the entrenched belief that all Africans are corrupt and selfish … that there are a few good Africans who can help turn a page to honesty, dedication to the cause of freedom and Justice, and the will and empathy for the good of all peoples of our continent and the world… PLS PLS DON’T DISAPPOINT.”

A MESSAGE OF CONGRATULATIONS AND OF STERN WARNING…

To our gallant military personnel who have taken the bold stand to help liberate the suffering masses

We salute and congratulate you

But pls be warned not to succumb to the juicy fruits of power to enrich yourselves

That…

— CitizenKofi (@amoah_citizen) August 31, 2023

In a further interaction with GhanaWeb, Dr Amoah posited that, “Time to be bold in the struggle to help liberate the suffering masses of our people.

These micky mouse elections in Africa are a waste of time and resources and in fact a boost for the award of legitimized power to the corrupt cabal to continue amassing wealth to the detriment of the poor masses.

Let’s not continue this induced blindness out of cowardice but let’s also warn the military men not to pretend to be liberating us with perhaps a real intention to also loot for themselves and their families/friends

The bullet cannot do what the ballot failed to achieve in stealing the people's freedom and liberty.” He said.

Gabon which is generally considered more stable than other countries that have experienced unrest in recent years, but it now appears set to join a growing list of junta-led states — including Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan — that create a geographical belt of turmoil across sub-Saharan Africa.

Research network Afrobarometer's 2023 surveys found that the number of people supporting democracy and elections in Africa has fallen. Only 68% of respondents across 34 countries preferred democracy to any other system of government, down from 73% a decade ago.