The recent wave of protests and military coups across Africa is driven by a complex mix of factors, including political instability, economic challenges, and social discontent.

Economic Hardships: Many African countries are facing severe economic challenges, including high unemployment rates, inflation, and rising costs of living. For instance, in South Africa, workers have been protesting against high unemployment, interest rates, and rolling electricity blackouts. Economic hardships, including high unemployment rates, inflation, and poverty, have fueled public dissatisfaction.

In some cases, governments have struggled to provide basic services, leading to widespread frustration and protests. The soaring inflation and economic challenges have significantly impacted the cost of living. Many Nigerians are struggling to afford basic necessities, leading to widespread frustration and anger.

There have been numerous promises made by the government that remain unfulfilled. This includes commitments to improve living conditions, create jobs, and enhance public services. The failure to deliver on these promises has fueled public discontent. Union workers across the country have initiated strikes to protest against the economic situation and demand better wages and working conditions. These strikes have disrupted key services and added to the overall tension.

Political Instability: Political tensions and dissatisfaction with government policies are also fueling protests. In some cases, citizens are demanding better governance, transparency, and accountability from their leaders. For example, the imprisonment of former South African President Jacob Zuma in 2021 led to widespread unrest and looting.

Many African countries have experienced long-standing political instability, often characterized by weak governance, corruption, and lack of democratic processes. This has led to a loss of trust in civilian governments and created opportunities for military interventions.

Social Inequality: Widespread social inequality and poverty are significant drivers of unrest. Many people feel marginalized and are demanding social justice and equitable distribution of resources. This is evident in various protests where citizens are calling for improved living conditions and access to basic services.

Social issues such as inequality, lack of access to education and healthcare, and human rights abuses have also played a significant role. In countries like Sudan, protests have been driven by demands for better living conditions and a return to civilian rule.

Energy Crisis: In countries like South Africa, prolonged power cuts and energy crises have sparked protests. The lack of reliable electricity affects daily life and economic activities, leading to frustration and anger among the populace.

The influence of external actors, including former colonial powers and international organizations, has also been a factor. Some military leaders have rejected Western influence, seeking to assert national sovereignty and independence.

There is a concern that the protest model seen in other countries, such as Kenya, might be adopted in Nigeria. This has led to warnings against destructive protests and calls for peaceful demonstrations. These factors combined have created a volatile situation, with many Nigerians demanding immediate action to address their grievances. The protests reflect a deep-seated desire for change and better living conditions across the continent.

The spread of coups in one region can inspire similar actions in neighboring countries. For example, the recent coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have created a “coup belt” in West Africa, where military leaders have taken power and rejected regional blocs like ECOWAS. These protests and Coups reflect the deep-seated issues that many African nations are grappling with, and they highlight the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to address these challenges.

In a shocking turn of events in Pennsylvania, United States, former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was wounded in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally on Saturday.

The 78-year-old was injured in the right ear as gunshots rang out in Butler City, resulting in a chaotic scene that left one attendee and the suspected shooter dead, and two other spectators critically injured.

Trump, who was on stage addressing his supporters, was suddenly rushed off with blood streaking down his face. Despite the injury, he managed to raise a defiant fist to the crowd, later stating, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) quickly classified the shooting as an assassination attempt.

The FBI identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was “neutralized” by Secret Service agents after firing multiple shots from an elevated position outside the rally. The US Secret Service confirmed that Crooks had fired toward the stage before being stopped.

President Joe Biden swiftly condemned the attack, calling for unity against political violence. “Everybody must condemn the suspected assassination attempt against Trump. We cannot allow this to be happening,” Biden said, noting the unprecedented nature of such violence.

Cutting short his weekend trip to Delaware, Biden returned to Washington, DC, for a security briefing. “I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it,” he added.

Staged?

American actress Amanda Seales and several others believe the assassination attempt was staged.

“That sh*# was more staged than a Tyler Perry production of Madea Runs for President.

“I lived in Harlem long enough to know gunshots do not sound like making popcorn on the stove,” she said.

Another person named Jane Eire said “It looks very staged. Sounded like a BB gun. Nobody in the crowd is running or panicking. Nobody in that crowd heard an actual gun. I don’t trust it. I don’t trust him.”

Fueling this belief is the observed abnormal lapses in security. Many claimed that the Secret Service ignored warnings and signs of danger minutes before the shooting.

“Actively communicating with a number of former colleagues from the Secret Service about the assassination attempt,” Dan Bongino, a former member of the Secret Service noted.

“This is an obviously catastrophic failure and NO excuses should be made, or even attempted. The failures are profound and questions must be answered about ground surveillance, air surveillance, post-stander support, and counter-sniper advance work and response.

“We have ONE job, and we came within inches of a deadly failure today. An uneventful failure is NOT a success.”

An eye-witness said he saw the suspect climb on top of a nearby structure outside the event and notified the police who didn’t take action.

“The guy army crawled up the building 50 feet from us… he had a rifle.

“He’s crawling! I’m thinking, why is Trump still speaking!

“I’m sitting there pointing at him for two or three minutes!

“I am 100% certain…,” he said.

In addition, another person observer noted: “They left the roof wide open. Secret Service snipers had eyes on the shooter. People were screaming about a man on the roof with a gun. But Secret Service waited. They waited for him to take the shots. Then they killed the shooter. It was a setup. And he wasn’t supposed to miss.”

The former president has been convicted on all counts related to criminal charges stemming from his relationship with porn actor Stormy Daniels. Trump was accused of paying “hush money” to conceal an affair, making him the first U.S. president to be convicted of a felony. However, his supporters believe the Republican presidential candidate was being targeted, triggering a massive donation to his campaign.

This backdrop has fueled the belief that the recent assassination attempt on Trump was staged to garner public sympathy.

However, following the shooting incident, several prominent Americans have come out publicly to endorse Trump’s presidential ambition.

“I was voting for Trump, but had doubts about him this go round. No more. He left telling us to fight. He was SHOT and was telling us to fight. Thank God he is alive. I will crawl over broken glass and through fire to get him elected,” Tracy Beanz, Editor-in-Chief of Uncover DC wrote.

Entrepreneur and owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk, who has been Right-leaning since the beginning of the current election cycle, publicly endorsed Trump.

“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” he said.

Trump is running for a second term about four years after his first term ended in chaos.

Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will conduct a full investigation of the tragic events today.

“The American people deserve to know the truth. We will have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP,” he said.

Many have blamed the incident on the prevalence of assault rifles, which they said, has been backed by the Republicans led by Trump himself.

On Saturday, Biden in a post, accused Trump of supporting the unchecked use of assault weapons.

“I want to ban assault weapons and require universal background checks. Trump promised the NRA that he’d do nothing about guns. And he means it,” he said.

Trump was on his way to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee after he was reported to have had a precautionary hospital checkup.

In a recent media parley, Aliko Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Refinery, announced a significant shift in the ownership and operational strategies of the $19 billion refinery. He revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited no longer holds a 20% stake in the refinery.

Dangote disclosed that due to NNPC’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations, its stake in the refinery has been reduced from the initially agreed 20% to a mere 7.2%.

“The agreement was actually 20% which we had with NNPC and they did not pay the balance of the money up till last year. We gave them another extension up till June 2024, but they declined to proceed beyond the 7.2% stake,” Dangote explained.

This statement came as a surprise to many Nigerians, who had been led to believe by the government that it maintained a 20% stake in the refinery.

The Nigerian state oil company’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, had previously justified the stake acquisition by disclosing the profit potential of the refinery business and its strategic importance for Nigeria’s energy security.

Earlier this year, reports indicated that NNPC had planned to raise $2.76 billion to finance its 20% stake in the refinery. According to the 2022 audited financial statements of NNPC Ltd, the company had acquired this stake through a $1.036 billion funding arrangement from Lekki Refinery Funding Limited, with $1 billion paid directly to Dangote Refinery and $36 million allocated for transaction costs.

The state-owned company pledged 35,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) as repayment for the loan.

However, Dangote revealed that NNPC only managed to secure a 7.2% stake, failing to meet the financial obligations required for the full 20% share. This shortfall has significantly impacted the refinery’s operations, particularly its crude oil supply chain.

Located in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos, the Dangote Refinery is noted as Africa’s largest oil refinery and the world’s biggest single-train facility. With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), the refinery aims to significantly boost Nigeria’s refining capabilities and reduce its dependency on imported petroleum products.

Besides the supply of petroleum products, the refinery is expected to generate 9,500 direct jobs and an additional 25,000 indirect jobs, providing a substantial economic boost to the region.

Once fully operational, it will produce approximately 50 million liters of petrol and 15 million liters of diesel daily, amounting to 10.4 million tons of petroleum products annually. Additionally, it will yield 4.6 million tons of diesel and 4 million tons of jet fuel per year.

However, one of the critical challenges faced by Dangote Refinery has been securing a consistent supply of crude oil. Dangote confirmed that due to NNPC’s inability to provide the promised crude, the refinery has had to source crude oil from international markets, including the United States and Brazil.

The 20% NNPC’s stake in the refinery was expected to secure the nation a place in the massive oil project, to ensure energy security and economic stability. However, the failure to meet these commitments has led to a reduction in NNPC’s stake, forcing Dangote Refinery to look abroad for crude supplies, further delaying the refinery’s operational timeline.

Despite these setbacks, Dangote remains optimistic about the refinery’s future. He announced that the refinery is set to begin fuel production by August 2024, having resolved its crude oil supply issues with the help of NNPC and the federal government.