The recent coup in Guinea-Bissau has triggered yet another round of condemnations across Africa and the wider international community. But beyond the denunciations lies a deeper question: Are we truly learning from these recurring upheavals? Activist and thinker Jarga Kebba Gigo argues that while coups cannot be encouraged, each incident must push the world towards stronger systems that prevent election disputes, political fraud, and forceful state takeovers. His wide-ranging commentary raises urgent issues about cameras, election treaties, international military observers, sovereignty, and Africa’s future.

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Why the Bissau Coup Raises Uncomfortable Global Reflections

A Coup During Elections — A Dangerous Signal

According to Jarga Kebba Gigo, although he supports coups under only the rarest circumstances, the situation in Bissau is troubling. A coup occurring during elections is unusual, and unless massive electoral fraud is proven, the action remains questionable. In modern times, he insists, large-scale election fraud should no longer exist — not when technology, cameras, and international cooperation can ensure transparency.

Were There Enough Cameras in Bissau?

Gigo argues that the world needs a universal “culture of cameras” to protect elections. He wonders whether Guinea-Bissau had adequate camera coverage to prevent manipulation or claims of fraud. As he puts it, once we understand that instability anywhere affects us all, indifference becomes dangerous. For him, condemning coups is not enough; learning and implementing preventive measures is far more critical, a point strongly emphasised by Akahi News.

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A Call for International Treaties on Election Integrity

Observers Are No Longer Enough

Gigo proposes a bold idea: a global treaty on election integrity. This treaty would:

• Permit observers with cameras at critical election points
• Allow a small but armed international military presence to protect key electoral actors
• Guard against both ruling and opposition parties manipulating the process

He argues that civilian observers alone can no longer guarantee fairness, as many countries still cling to “illusory sovereignty” — seeking help only when convenient but refusing preventive support.

The Financial and Moral Cost

According to Gigo, the moral and financial sacrifices demanded by such treaties are minimal compared to the devastation caused by election disputes, coups, civil wars, and refugee crises.

He further suggests that 1,000 armed Ecowas or AU personnel present in Bissau could have prevented the recent events or at least revealed their true nature through cameras.

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Sovereignty vs. Collective Security: A Blended Security Approach

International Forces as Stronger, Less Corruptible Guards

Gigo argues that sovereignty is not weakened when 20 local soldiers and 10 Ecowas soldiers jointly guard an opposition leader, election officials, or critical stations. Instead, it strengthens trust, deters manipulation, and protects all sides — ruling and opposition alike.

He stresses that:

• Opposition parties also lie and manipulate elections.
• Cameras and international witnesses protect everyone, not just incumbents.
• Language barriers can be addressed by placing soldiers from linguistic regions in pairs.

Cameras Can Prevent Political ‘Adultery and Rape’

In Gigo’s figurative language, a lack of cameras allows both military and political actors to “commit adultery and rape” — meaning unlawful power grabs, deceit, and manipulation. With cameras everywhere, such acts become harder to hide.

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Why Election Denialism Must End

Gigo points to examples across West Africa:

• Former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh still denies the 2016 results.
• Mama Kandeh denies the 2021 Gambian election outcome.
• Many politicians prefer “claims over cameras”.

He calls for a giant camera factory or store in The Gambia serving neighbouring countries, insisting that thousands of crimes and electoral disputes could be prevented with widespread camera use. As Akahi News gathered, he believes Africa’s elite must stop ignoring this necessity.

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Education, Cameras, and International Demands Before Offering Help

Gigo argues that Africa must embrace:

• Mandatory basic education
• Universal camera accessibility
• Collective responsibility for security

He says leaders want international support but reject the advice that comes with it, much like “arrogant teenagers seeking help without guidance”. From presidents to ministers, he notes, the powerful install cameras in their homes but deny that same protection to the poorest citizens.

He insists that if African unity existed, foreign troops in countries like The Gambia would not even be labelled “foreign”. Instead, they would be seen as shared African security.

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Smooth Transfer of Power: The Case for Foreign Guards

Gigo believes treaties should allow the number of armed international troops to increase temporarily when the opposition wins, ensuring a smooth transition. He cites The Gambia’s current stability under Ecowas protection as evidence that such an arrangement safeguards democracies.

He views false claims about drugs or vague allegations used to justify coups as unacceptable unless backed by camera-verified evidence.

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The Devastating Costs of Civil Unrest and Why Prevention Is Cheaper

Gigo reminds Africans of the Sierra Leonean refugee crisis, the ongoing challenges in the Sahel, and the risk of mass displacement from places like Bissau if instability deepens. These tragedies, he argues, cost far more — financially and emotionally — than preventive measures such as cameras, international observers, and small allied military teams.

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A Call to Journalists, Politicians, and Citizens

Gigo urges journalists, including those partnering with Akahi News, to:

• Educate the public
• Advocate for cameras
• Support transparency
• Challenge leaders who refuse necessary reforms

He concludes with a sober reminder: until society embraces evidence-based governance, liars will continue to thrive.

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Jarga Kebba Gigo’s comprehensive analysis of the Bissau coup offers uncomfortable but essential lessons. Beyond condemnation, Africa must build transparent, camera-powered systems, adopt election integrity treaties, and welcome shared military observers if it hopes to avert future crises. The stakes are too high — from coups to civil wars, from refugee waves to economic collapse. Africa must learn, act, and cooperate.

May God bless Showlove Trinity: Let’s learn, let’s work, let’s have fun.

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By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Joseph Iyaji is a journalist, educator, and founder of Akahi G. International, Akahi Tutors, and Akahi News. Read more about him here.

Akahi News http://www.akahinews.org

Peruse Gigo’s Full Write-up

Bissau’s Coup Seems Like International Failure, but Will We Learn?

We cannot accept every excuse to justify a coup, but we have to learn from every coup to establish measures to avoid a coup or forceful takeovers of the state. It is clearly evident that I support coups in limited circumstances, but I am not sure if I can support the coup in Bissau. Coup amid elections is very weird, but massive election fraud is among where I think a coup can be justified. In our age, massive election fraud should be a thing of the past, unless a country is in its illusory sovereignty claims that excludes countries you may need. We need a worldwide culture of cameras, but were there enough cameras in Bissau’s elections? Once we understand that if that country falls or thrives, it affects us indirectly or directly, then we cannot be indifferent . Ecowas to AU or even UN condemning it cannot be as vital as learning and establishing new measures to avoid such repeats.

I think it is overdue to consider treaties on election integrity, and that must include eliminating illusory sovereignty until you need help? My point is that the international civilian observers may no longer be enough, but a clear agreement (treaty) that includes observers with cameras and even a small international military to jointly guard critical election posts, election officials, and even top election participants. Of course, my suggestions come with both financial and moral costs or sacrifices. However, the cost is minimal if we compare it with the damage a disputed election or coup can cost.

Let’s say if about one thousand armed Ecowas or AU forces were present in Bissau, their presence with cameras and arms could have averted it or at least shed light on it. The cameras and arms can last for decades, so only the travel cost and allowance of the soldiers is where Bissau or xyz should shoulder as election cost due to time based demands. Today, the president or ex-president of Bissau, Mr. Emballo, is reportedly in Senegal as a refugee, but would he have allowed Senegal and other countries sending their soldiers to watch an election or just to restore his presidency? My point is the Gambia and many countries are soon heading for an election, so it’s vital that we all learn the needed lessons. I am fairly certain that president Adama Barrow, Faye, Tinubu, and others will likely condemn the coup in Bissau, but are they ready to work on treaties that will avert such?

Blending Percentages: We all know one thousand international forces cannot fight many state militaries, but they are not there to fight, instead as stronger observers and less corruptible guards. So if twenty Military personnel of Bissau and ten military personnel of Ecowas were guarding the main opposition leader of Bissau, the Gambia, or xyz, it does not take away sovereignty, but bolster our common ties as humans. So even one hundred ‘foreign’ military can help guard the opposition and their cameras can also reveal what about the opposition. I do not think only sitting leaders dangerously lie about elections, but there are many guilty opposition leaders. I understand they did not only prematurely declare themselves as winners, but one is claiming a percentage of ‘52%’?

Due to language barriers, it is smart to have the remaining military personnel in at least pairs. So, about two to four soldiers from English speaking Ghana, Nigeria, etc , at the polls and counting stations, in English speaking Gambia or xyz will help. Body cameras are increasingly affordable, so you cannot distrust all countries and their body camera footages. You will not need foreign military in every poll station, but having enough, especially where the opposition deems necessary will help. The obsession with power after tasting it can be very dangerous, but the obsession through imagination can make a guilty opposition or military commit adultery and rape in figurative speech. When was the last time you heard rape under camera is vital, but no one will deny some will avoid rape or election lying if enough cameras exist.

Election Results Denials are too common and must end. My tiny Gambia has former president Jammeh denying the 2016 results up to date, and Barrow+ refuses my call for a stronger culture of cameras until when? Mama Kandeh is denying the 2021 elections in the Gambia, but what is he and others doing on culture of cameras before the 2026 elections? Liars will prefer claims over cameras and evidence oriented blessings until when? I believe the best of Gambians, in and outside the Gambia, should strive towards a giant camera factory for Africa, or at least a giant camera store for the Gambia and the neighboring countries. Wishes are not enough, employ enough efforts. Of course, it goes far beyond the Gambia, resulting in dangerous civilian unrest or military coup as in Bissau or where else? We do not want to see civil wars in any country and if your favorite candidate is against cameras or peaceful foreign troops, they may gamble on you and run away in illusions or simple cruelty and indifference with excuses. So let the journalists also educate the public and defend the needed ideas for peace, including how the cameras of both civilian and military personnel cannot miss certain levels of mass fraud.

Again, our sacrifices should be compared to what civil unrest, civil war, refugee cost, military coups, rebels, etc, can cost. Who does not remember how Sierraleonians flooded the Gambia in dual pain and we sure do not want the people of Bissau or any country fleeing to Senegal or the Gambia. So I think having about one hundred Gambian forces joining other countries to ascertain both peaceful elections and smooth surrender where need be is vital and in Gambia’s or xyz interest. So the cost can even be splitted or which peace loving billionaire can help?

Ecowas or AU Demands before Intervention or Help: like an arrogant teenager may want money and no advice from a parent, the arrogant leader wants different types of help but not advice from foreign individuals or organisations. If I were the president of the U.S , AU, or xyz, I would have made very reasonable demands, including how you must have fair elections, mandatory basic education, facilitate culture of cameras, etc. All of humankind, especially Africa, needs mandatory education, but the leaders that have it for their own children will likely find an excuse to justify indifferent to the helpless children. You cannot claim ‘parental rights’, if you understand every child is like your child or child of the state, and questionable parents must be re-educated and punished if defiant. From the president, ministers, opposition leaders, rich folks, etc , you all have cameras in your homes, but refuse simple efforts to facilitate the poorest home to have cameras and even laborers to work and walk with body cameras. Of course, your non-thinking minds may not be able to see the good in such, but once we try it for ten countries, the averted problems will far outweigh the new ‘problems’ that will demand action. As much as I want the president to understand that a camera factory or giant camera store is more vital than many roads, I think the opposition and every caring person should understand the need for collective urging and collaboration for availability and affordability. Our children and their associations in the diaspora must step-up in such as a humanitarian leaning business, where financial success is feasible and ‘failing’ is still uplifting the character of the people through pressure. A camera store that helps averts thousands of crimes is not for the mentally blind to see; where it solves hundreds of crimes, they may claim ten of them are disgraceful or unnecessary… So seeking and accepting by the years is hinting there are decades between our minds… I can remember or imagine if God asked me to urge for a Camera Store or factory in 1950, 1975, 2000, 2025, etc you would have dismissed me as insane or xyz. The evidence is you refuse to see the importance of mass acceptance of cameras in 2025, you refuse enough efforts for self and/or urging beyond neighbours. So I can imagine God or the Angels giving it to the West, Asia, etc to crawl to elite and indifferent rich Africans? Some things should be for all, rich or poor, and that include basic formal education, security, enough food, etc.

Smooth Transfer of Power: The treaty can be very clear, including if the opposition wins, we can raise the number of armed foreign soldiers to be dedicated to the winner until a smooth transfer of power takes place. If an extension is needed like the Gambia is enjoying, then so be it. I do not see the presence of ‘foreign’ troops in the Gambia as against our sovereignty, because if Africa was united as I desire, then such a mixture would be the guard of every president and governor. The so-called foreign troops have not committed crimes above their Gambian counterparts in and beyond the military. We can realistically say their presence may have averted a coup in the Gambia. As recently as a few weeks ago, former president Jammeh was essentially saying Barrow is not a legitimate president, and that may amount to calling for a forceful removal of Barrow. We know a small percentage of both civilian and military Gambians may share that distorted view of what is tolerable versus intolerable election irregularities. A tolerable election irregularity can be ignored, taken to court, discussed , and needed changes be made for the next elections. I think guarding the leaders of the election officials is vital and can be through the blend of such international forces.

The claim of drugs to justify a coup amid elections is absurd. If President Emballo was not collaborating with drug Lords and is the winner, then fearing a change that cannot be mitigated through cameras and other measures is questionable. If the opposition were talking with drug Lords and are the winners, prosecuting them before elections or gathering evidence at what time seems possible to the point of warranting a coup? These are not the times of claims, but until God imposes a culture of cameras and evidence oriented societies, then the anti-camera folks are the devils God prefers to give respite until when? I pray for God to end the respite on lying and cruelty, and help humankind enjoy a much better earth. Worse than drugs (self inflict) is lying and cruelty by politicians, military folks, civilians, etc. Worse than what level of drugs is coup, civil war, etc. So let the journalists and politicians re-educate the masses and we make the necessary sacrifices, including respecting the results of elections, even if disappointed. May God bless Showlove Trinity: let’s learn, let’s work, let’s have fun.

By Jarga Kebba Gigo
An Activist and Transformer
Author of Juts Quhr-aahn