Listen up, truth seekers and power players—the circus is back in town, and this time, the ringmaster refuses to leave the stage.
Togo, the sliver of West Africa that’s no stranger to strongman politics, has once again hit the geopolitical gossip column. The headline? Faure Gnassingbé, son of a dictator, prince of protracted presidencies, has pulled off the political equivalent of a disappearing act on term limits… again.
Yes, while most leaders hope for legacy, Faure’s going for eternity.
The latest act in this dynastic drama comes courtesy of a constitutional switcheroo, a sleight of hand so slick David Copperfield would blush. Protesters are calling foul—and rightly so. Why? Because this isn’t governance, it’s Game of Thrones: Lomé edition.
Let’s break it down for the folks in the cheap seats: The Togolese Parliament just passed changes that could allow Faure to effectively restart the clock on his presidential term limit, pivoting to a cockamamie parliamentary system where he could remain top dog as the magical new position of “President of the Council of Ministers.” Translation? New title, same throne, indefinite rule.
Faure’s been running the show since 2005, following in the iron-fisted footsteps of his dear old dad, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who held the reins for 38 years. That’s right—this family’s been in power longer than most of you have had a Facebook account.
Now, the streets are speaking. Brave citizens are pounding the pavement, chanting with the fury of democracy denied. From university students to market traders, the message is unmissable: “We didn’t vote for monarchy. We voted for a republic!” And yet, Faure’s circle is acting like it’s coronation season.
The global community? Mostly crickets. The African Union dropped a statement so vague it could double as a horoscope, while France, the former colonial babysitter of Togo, seems more concerned with its baguette prices than with a boiling democratic crisis in Francophone Africa.
Now, let me hit you with the cold steel of satire: if Faure were a Netflix series, he’d be “How to Stay President Forever Without Really Trying.” Episode 1: Rewrite the Rules. Episode 2: Call it Reform. Episode 3: Arrest Dissenters. Episode 4: Deny It All. Spoiler alert—there’s no season finale.
Let’s be clear: this move isn’t innovation—it’s desperation with a tie on. No matter how much you perfume it, autocracy stinks. And Faure? He’s not evolving the system—he’s embalming it.
The protesters know it. The people feel it. And even the military, that ever-loyal referee of Togo’s political games, is keeping one eye open and the other on the balance of power.
Here’s my take—the clock is ticking not just for Faure, but for every leader who thinks democracy is an à la carte menu they can cook and re-cook to taste. Africa is awakening, and while some leaders are remixing constitutions like club DJs, the citizens are ready to pull the plug.
To the protesters in Lomé—I hear you. To Faure—your game’s in overtime, and the referee is restless. And to every opportunist watching this playbook with ideas of their own: be warned. The world might sleep, but the people are restless—and history? She’s got a mean left hook.
The arena is heating up, and if you can’t handle the flames, step out of the fire.
I play to win.
– Mr. 47
