Let’s cut the sensational lessons on how coups and military regimes are dangerous. It’s condescending and arrogant to assume that the masses supporting military takeovers are too ignorant to understand the implications. The question is: what alternative are you giving them? It is very cynical of those who do not understand the critical situation of insecurity, the severe existential issues masses are facing in the majority of these failed states where the ruling elites control everything to give lectures on democracy and the dangers of coups!

In the 70s dictator Eyadema of #Togo, soldier of the #French colonial army appointed a minister of education called Sylvain Babelem. Babelem was removed, later arrested and charged with corruption for one thing. He defied Eyadema’s bosses: the French government. During a ceremony held by the French embassy to donate school books to #Togo , Minister Babelem who use to be teacher denounced the fact #France was donating books they’ve removed from the French curriculum to #Togo especially the fact that these books embellished colonialism.

France has the 4th largest gold reserve in the world. How?
France holds 90% of the gold reserves of 15 African countries and pays 0% interest on what it makes from those reserves since 1945. These nations however borrow from #France from their own reserves with interest! When #France created the CFA which was inspired by the monetary system the Nazi imposed on #France during WW2, the FCFA parity was at 50 to one French Franc. On 12 January 1994 #France had the IMF devalue it by 50%: we woke up twice poorer and indebted to #France!

The structure of families in Africa are completely different from the Eurocentric version we are taught in colonial school.
In #Togo for most ethnic groups, the word cousin doesn’t exist at all. The paternal cousins are our siblings and the maternal ones are our uncles. In our culture, siblings aren’t limited to the children of your parents. The children of your mother’s sisters and those of your father’s brothers are your siblings. Now all the males in your mother’s family are your uncles and all the females your father’s side are your aunts.

In July 1987, one African president bravely asked that all African countries unite against colonial debts. He mentioned that his initiative could get him killed and indeed three months later, he was assassinated on the orders of France: Thomas #Sankara
Thread 🧵 On July 29,1987 Thomas #Sankara, president of Burlington Faso delivered a vibrant speech at the OAU Summit calling all African leaders to demand debt cancelation from colonial powers to put an end to the plundering of African nations in the repayment of colonial debts.

I will make a thread on why I am against the electoral putsch in #DRC and why I am worried for this country that has never known a democratic transition since independence. Let me start with a disclaimer : I don’t like France. No rather I hate France. I have never hidden it and this will not change even after my death because it is personal. France hurt me , physically , psychologically, emotionally , financially by imposing a savage regime in #Togo