Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has provided an explanation of why African youth embrace coups that take place on the continent.

According to Obasanjo, the rise in military takeovers in Africa demonstrated the need for liberators among young people.

Speaking to a group of young people from the Reverend Chris Oyakhilome-founded Africa for Africa Youth Initiative (A4A), the former president did so in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.

Due to his experience under the late General Sanni Abacha, Obasanjo declared he would not support a coup, but he highlighted that certain factors had been promoting military coups across the continent.

The ex-president of Nigeria, who oversaw the country both as a military dictator and as a democratically elected leader, claimed that the youth in Africa are enthused by coups because they long for liberation.

Seven nations in Africa have experienced coups since 2020; the most recent ones were in Niger and Gabon.

He said, “If we don’t have the conditions that encourage them (coups), they may not happen,” adding, “We should make sure that we do everything to prevent coups from happening.”

According to Obasanjo, young people in particular “support most of these coups; the one in Gabon, the Coup Leader, was being carried on the head by the youths, not by old wretched men and women like me.”

In light of this, we must remember that the youth are searching for liberators. Why do we need to encourage young people to look for liberators other than the current administration? Why?”

He urged African leaders to uphold genuine democratic values with God-given qualities in order to prevent coups in Africa.

And maybe you need retirement if you’ve been in government for 40 years and aren’t worn out, he added.