Africa was very slow to adopt democracy. The concept was just too restrictive, too intolerable for the undisciplined members of the armed forces. Soldiers, mostly believing they should be at the helm of political power, made themselves willing tools in the bloodiest violence ever recorded. Below, I bring to you the top ten African leaders that were killed in violent coups.

1. Patrice Lumumba (Congo):

Patrice Lumumba was a Congolese leader and it's first democratically elected Prime Minister. As founder and leader of the Mouvement National Congolaise party, he played an important role in campaigning for Congo's Independence from Belgium. But shortly after, a mutiny broke out in the army. When the United Nations refused him support against secessionist forces, Lumumba turned to the Soviet Union for support. But he was deposed in September 14 by Joseph Mobutu and placed under house arrest. Lumumba, however escaped and tried to raise troops to set up his own government. He was finally captured, tried, sentenced to death and executed.

2. Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio (Togo):

Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio was a Togolese politician who served as prime minister and then president of Togo until his death in 1963.He was prominent in fighting for Togo's independence and became prime minister when his party won the majority in the pre independence elections in 1958. When Togo achieved Independence, he won elections to the presidency. But shortly after midnight on the 13th of January 1963, Olympio was shot death in a military coup while trying to escape from his residence.

3. Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (Nigeria):

Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was Nigeria's first and only prime minister. He became the political leader of the young republic when the leader of his party, Sir Ahmadu Bello, refused to be prime minister and instead chose his deputy, Balewa, to lead the nation. But six years after independence, on January 15, 1966, amidst accusations no corruption and nepotism and a lingering political crises in the Yoruba dominated Western Region of Nigeria, Sir Tafawa Balewa was deposed and assassinated in a bloody military coup led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu.

Source: http://skitcentral..com.ng/2016/08/10-african-heads-of-states-that-died-in.html

4. Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi (Nigeria):

When soldiers of pre-dominantly Igbo extraction struck to truncate Nigeria's nascent democracy, Aguiyi Ironsi, as the most senior military officer in Nigeria, was called upon to lead the government. But he was soon to be a target few months later in what was termed as a revenge counter coup targeted at soldiers of Igbo extraction by their Nothern counterparts. On 29 July, 1966, while on a nationwide tour, Aguiyi Ironsi was gruesomely murdered in Ibadan by soldiers reportedly led by Theophilus Danjuma. His mutilated body was discovered in the forest. His death subsequently led to a bloody civil war that claimed over a million mostly civilian lives.

5. Aman Mikael Andom (Ethiopia):

Andom was appointed acting Head of State following the coup that deposed Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie on the 12th of September 1974. But his rule lasted only two months as he soon fell out with his former supporters. From his first day in office, Andon found out that the members of the ruling council, Derg, only wanted him to be it's spokesperson. Unyielding, he found himself at loggerheads with the Derg members in all policy decisions and agreements. He resigned from office on the 15th of November then sought for support from the lower divisions of the military. But the Derg sent the military to arrest him. He tried to resist arrest. A battle ensued and he was killed in the shootout.

6. Francois Tombalbaye (Chad):

Tombalbaye, a teacher and trade union activist, was appointed Chad's head of state after Independence on August 11, 1960. He quickly adopted an autocratic style of government, consolidating his power by eliminating rivals both within his party and other political parties by banning political parties. Then he dissolved the National Assembly in response to rioting. Following drought and declining support, a group of soldiers killed Francois on April 13, 1975.

7. General Murtala Ramat Mohammed (Nigeria):

Nigeria's civil war victory wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo. So when, General Yakubu Gown was deposed in a bloodless coupon July 30th, 1975, Mohammed was invited to lead the military government. Declining at first, but later accepting, his rule would be short lived. On the 13th of February 1976, Mohammed was assassinated while riding in an unprotected, unescorted Mercedes Benz by soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Buka Suka Dimka. The subsequent coup failed but the young General lost his life.

Is that all you've got?

8. William R. Tolbert Jnr (Liberia):

William Tolbert Jnr was the 20th President of Liberia, ruling for 9 years from 1971 to 1980. Following President William Tubman's death in 1971, Tolbert assumed the presidency in a peaceful transition. Tolbert tried to introduce massive political reforms including limiting the presidential term limit to 8 years. He also improved foreign relations and introduced a two party system of governance as against the former one party rule. But in the early hours of April 12, 1980, master Sergeant Samuel Doe led 17 non commissioned officers assassinate Tolbert in a violent coup. His body was dumped in a mass grave with 27 other victims of the coup.

9. Thomas Sankara (Burkina Faso):

Aged 33, Thomas Sankara seized power in a popularly supported coup. He sought to eliminate corruption and French dominance. He changed the country's name from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso and introduced social and economic reforms aimed at breaking French influence. However his policies made him unpopular among the middle class. But despite his popularity and loyal support from the common people, he was overthrown and assassinated in a coup led by Blaise Campaore on the 15th of October 1987.

10. Samuel Doe (Liberia):

Samuel Doe was just a master sergeant when he led non commissioned officers to topple and assassinate William Tolbert in 1980. He then went ahead to execute many of Tolbert's supporters. Then he disbanded the constitution and held power as military head of state for 5 years. Then he officially became president in a fraudulent, controversial election in 1985. Leading a rather repressive government, Samuel became very unpopular both within and externally. A civil war, waged by Charles Taylor, an escaped fugitive, broke out in 1989, leading to Samuel Doe's capture by Prince Y Johnson in September 9, 1990. Doe was tortured, exposed naked in the streets of Monrovia. He was later mutilated before being murdered by decapitation. His torture was videotaped and broadcast internationally.

Kenzico:
Is that all you've got?

No. Just had to submit in bits. Now there's the complete list.

As bonus, watch the torture and execution of Samuel Doe, video and broadcast internationally. Warning, images are graphic.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5xJpj7EmQM

The bonus was useful.
Thanks!

What of Abacha

Eazybay:
What of Abacha

He died in a sexual coup not a bloody coup.

skitcentral:


He died in a sexual coup not a bloody coup.

Nice thread Op...


Informative and educative... I just wish the current leaders should learn from the mistake of others to avoid this unnecessary bloodsheds!!


RIP to the leaders that deserve it!!!

It's threads like these that gives Buhari the heebie jeebies

@OP, re-arrange your post and let each picture follow the names and each writeup. 1 picture per name.

naturalwaves:
@OP, re-arrange your post and let each picture follow the names and each writeup. 1 picture per name.

I did three three. Pictures are posted in order of list numbers. Number one picture corresponds to number one on the list. Posting singles may cause the nairaland bots to ban me for spamming.

skitcentral:


I did three three. Pictures are posted in order of list numbers. Number one picture corresponds to number one on the list. Posting singles may cause the nairaland bots to ban me for spamming.

I know but please make it 1 : 1 . So that the picture comes immediately after a name rather than going up to check the name against the picture.

Whichever way @Op, i love it.
Thanks.

Africa and coup those days were like bread and butter....even with all the coups Africa still remains the same no improvement

And till now the looters sorry leaders av not embrace democracy totally. In this new form of governance they care more about them.

skitcentral:

He died in a sexual coup not a bloody coup.

That sexual coup tho.. Lol

skitcentral:

He died in a sexual coup not a bloody coup.

That sexual coup tho.. Lol

Larryfest:
Africa and coup those days were like bread and butter....even with all the coups Africa still remains the same no improvement

Military men were just power hungry. None knew how to rule.

what about the great Gadaffi

The best leader ever liveth in Africa

I love this man

moscobabs:
what about the great Gadaffi

The best leader ever liveth in Africa

I love this man

True oh. Ghadafi deserves a worthy mention.

Sankara,,solomon dalung mentor..

If Bubu isn't careful he may follow suit

Nonybb:
If Bubu isn't careful he may follow suit

I hope the days of military coups are beyond us.

In MFM pastor's voice.. Lala what are you waiting for.... Push to front page

InfinixMine:
In MFM pastor's voice.. Lala what are you waiting for.... Push to front page

Lalasticlala and Seen have not seen this.

Not many of you know that Prince Johnson in that video fled to Lagos in exile where was converted to christianity and he reconciled with Samuel Doe's family.

While in exile in Ikoyi he wrote a book- The Rise and Fall of
President Samuel K. Doe and sub-
titled “A Time to Heal and Rebuild
Liberia.”

He later returned to Liberia to contest Senatorial elections when Sirleaf became president.

This is Sen. Prince Johnson...

Sctests:
Not many of you know that Prince Johnson in that video fled to Lagos in exile where was converted to christianity and he reconciled Samuel Doe's family.

While in exile in Ikoyi he wrote a book- The Rise and Fall of
President Samuel K. Doe and sub-
titled “A Time to Heal and Rebuild
Liberia.”

He later returned to Liberia to contest Senatorial elections when Sirleaf became president.

This is the new Prince Johnson.

Samuel doe deserve what he got...he was an animal,if he didn't take over from dalung....Liberia wont be in the situation it find
Itself today

Being a tyrant can be fun sha o.

omololu2020:
Samuel doe deserve what he got...he was an animal,if he didn't take over from dalung....Liberia wont be in the situation it find
Itself today

Prince, Taylor, Doe, even President Tolbert that was killed by Doe were all tyrants. Prince (even though he is now changed) killed Krishna aid workers working and distrubuting food aids in refugee camps in monrovia because they wrote him a letter pleading with him to stop killing.