West Africa

Since the watershed moment when numerous African nations began gaining independence from their colonial overlords in the mid-to-late 20th century, the political landscape of the continent has been in flux. A series of oscillations between democratically elected governments and military regimes has marked this era. Initially, when these military coups d’état occurred, they were presented to the populace and the world at large as necessary and even salutary interventions. The arguments put forth suggested that these military takeovers were indispensable in maintaining law and order, correcting the purported failings of civilian administrations, or addressing deep-rooted corruption that was crippling …