“Benin, watch out!”

This single image is enough to make us rejoice, in a Africa of chaotic transitions. I don’t know exactly what the term “pan-Africanist” means, but one thing is certain, I see every African country as a brother to mine, just like all African populations. So what happens in each of Africa’s countries, particularly in West Africa, should concern us all.

That’s why, despite the peaceful transfer of power, I have 3 concerns or I would say 3 reservations regarding this brotherly country. 3 concerns that could emerge in the political life of brother Benin in the short or medium term.

First, there was an attempted coup from the night of December 6 to 7, 2025, in a country that seemed to have definitively turned the page on coups and that initiated the legendary Sovereign National Conferences in Africa in February 1990, which have been modeled everywhere in Africa. Benin has also established regular elections, without violating the principle of two mandates. That a coup attempt occurs in such a country raises questions.

So far, we have only heard about the judicial aftermath of this affair, without any public debate on why this drift occurred, what the root causes are, the social, political, or security dysfunctions that led to this unusual armed uprising in a country considered a model.

The issue must be addressed down to the roots of the cause. Otherwise, there will be reasons to worry about the recurrence of similar events, as often happens in Africa, through cyclical contagion.

Second, the presidential election of April 12, 2026, in Benin did not particularly excite African opinions. Despite the relatively young age of the new President in a country accustomed to elections, African public opinion did not widely celebrate the new President’s entry into his fifties. Perhaps his management record, style, and upcoming decisions will place him at the center of greater interest later.

It seems to me that the timid enthusiasm surrounding the new and relatively young Beninese President is due to the conditions of his election, the score he obtained, and the fact that significant opposition could not participate in the competition. There is a deaf and silent African consciousness seeking transparency, justice, and fairness. Triumph without significant adversaries does not cause an explosion of joy. But the most worrying thing is that the conditions of this presidential election on April 12, 2026, could follow the new President throughout his term. Seven years is a long time. There is therefore a need and urgency to establish a real political dialogue and open up the public space a little more, otherwise internal turbulence could hinder the continuation of the remarkable development initiated under the recently departed President.

Thirdly, the new Government. It is aesthetically pleasing. But will it meet the expectations of the people? What is the relationship and history between the new President and each of his Ministers? From my experience working with a Minister who was very close to my country’s President, I understood that if the technocracy and experience of each Minister do not align with the President’s history and work reflexes (who wants results here and now), they become a problem.

Furthermore, in light of current events in the region, what will be the relationships between these Ministers and the outgoing President, what discreet or underground role would the latter play in the governmental functioning, apart from his subsequent institutional roles? The Niger, Mauritania, and Senegal lead us to scrutinize this question with great interest.

Finally, I question the relationship between the majority of the new Government members and the population, as the issue of advanced technocracy poses a disconnection from the real problems of the people and their aspirations. It’s also about the recognition of their own at the top of the State. Government cohesion could be put to the test in the coming months.

So we have the fraternal regional right to raise some reservations, just as we raise reservations in the political life of our own country.

It is by supporting each other and correcting each other that we will build a strong Africa and a solid West Africa.

Vincent Toh Bi Irié