Following the recent overthrow of President Alpha Conde by Colonel Mammady Doumbouya, a lot of comments and analyses have been made, to either condemn or justify the need for the overthrow.

Adding his voice, Former Chief of Defense Staff of the Ghana Army, Brig. Gen. (rtd.) Nunoo-Mensah, has described the coup as having resulted from the conduct of President Alpha Conde. 

According to Brig. Gen. (rtd.) Nunoo-Mensah, “most African Leaders have not learnt any lessons from the history of uprisings and coups on the continent”. 

He described African leaders as plunging the youth into absolute desperation to the extent that, given the slightest opportunity, they will jump at doing anything to feed themselves. 

To him, the black political leader only does things to benefit himself without considering the interest of those who voted him into power. He noted that when this happens, “the citizenry will eventually get tired of the lack of concern and that is what leads to coups; desperation among the populace,” he said. 

He charged political leaders to go beyond seeking their personal interests and being fixated on economic theories, to properly instituting structures that benefit the citizenry as a whole.

The Guinea Coup is the latest Military take-over of a democratically elected government in Africa. Seizing power from President Alpha Conde, General Mammady in his first address cited abuse of power and desperation of the people as the reasons for the coup. 

To the surprise and dismay of many, including the International Community, youth in the capital; Conakry, took to the streets to jubilate after the announcement of the coup. This sent out indications that, majority were unhappy about the state of affairs in the country especially, the extension of Alpha Conde’s tenure by one more term, through a manipulative amendment of Guinea's constitution. 

Brig. Gen. (rtd.) Nunoo-Mensah’s assertion comes as one of many from well-meaning Africans on the real state of affairs of citizens on the continent and the crop of leaders in government.