Nigeria's Coups and the West's Selective Outrage
📰 THE STORY: The Independent reports that Nigerian military officers are set to face trial for an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, with officials claiming the group intended to overthrow the West African nation's government. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Nigeria has a long, tumultuous history with military coups, many of which had implicit or explicit
foreign backing. The West routinely supported dictatorships during the Cold War and beyond, as long as they served Western economic interests. For example, during the 'Oil Crisis' of the 1970s, Western powers often turned a blind eye to military takeovers in oil-rich nations. Nigeria itself was under military rule for much of its post-independence history, with foreign powers often maintaining
'working relationships' with these regimes. In nearby Niger, the 2023 coup saw immediate Western condemnation, yet the presence of French and US military bases, integral to their strategic interests, remained a critical unacknowledged factor in regional instability. Double Standard: When coups occur in nations deemed 'unfriendly' to Western interests, like Venezuela's 2002 coup attempt against
Hugo Chavez (which the US quickly recognized and later admitted its role in supporting), they are often framed as legitimate 'pro-democracy' movements. However, when a coup targets a Western-aligned leader, like Tinubu (who was notably quick to remove fuel subsidies, a move often favored by international financial institutions), it is immediately condemned as an illegitimate overthrow of