Why Benin Republic’s coup failed ‎

‎The coup attempt in Benin Republic was bound to fail, as it had all the characters of the failed coup attempt by Major Gideon Okar, against Gen Ibrahim Babangida in Nigeria in 1990.

Specifically, analysts said the failed Col Pascal Tigri-led Benin coup failed, like the Orkar coup in Nigeria, for two strategically related reasons:

1. A coup fails when there are cracks within military formations and divisions, especially during planning, leading to failed execution of the coup.

‎2. ⁠While the capture or seizing a radio station to announce a coup is okay, it does not determine the success of a coup in this modern day of information glot.

Indeed, the Orkar coup plotters had seized the Federal Radio Station at Ikoyi, but vehicles were still plying on the roads when coup was foiled.

The Benin coup also bears all the hallmarks of the Orkar coup in Nigeria, and so it failed woefully with the support of the Nigerian Air Force, which secured the air, and also the Nigerian Army which marched on the Benin Republic soil upon invitation by President Patrice Talon.

Of course, Benin Interior Minister, Allasane Seidu announced the coup has failed.

The coup leader, Col Pascal Tigri is currently on the run, while some of his members have been arrested.

Their prime target was to assassinate President Patrice Talon, similar to Orkar target on former President Ibrahim Babangida. Both targets failed. With Talon, there was heavy resistance by the Presidential guard, while with Babangida, Major UK Bello, Babangida’s ADC, was killed to save his boss.

ECOWAS has issued a statement denouncing the coup attempt and a standby force will be deployed soon.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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