Somebody dies... and I find it hard to feel sorry

Another human being dies, and my first thought is "it's a good thing".

Heartless? Hardly. But my heart goes to the millions of people who had to suffer under his rule, for this man was a dictator, of the "non-enlightened" type, one of those we seem to have an endless stock of on this continent. One disappears, and another emerges. Less than 24 hours after this announcement, the constitution is "suspended". Another captain saw his chance and decided to seize it.

1984... Ahmed Sekou Touré, Guinée's first president, dies. A week later, Lansana Conté stages a coup and seizes power.

2008... 24 years later, Lansana Conté, Guinée's second president, dies. People who had been champing at the bit for years proved ready to seize the occasion the very same day.

A coup is undisputably wrong, but the hypocrisy of "the rule of law" most African strongmen touted after the democracy puppet show of the 1990s make it an option not less viable than following the constitutional route. In Guinée notably, there is no way credible elections can be held within 60 days. It seemed so easy to amend the Constitution to allow the current ruler to be re-elected forever, yet nobody with legislative powers seemed to find desirable to amend the least realistic articles, which could very well become a problem once put to test.

Fortunately, other countries seem on the road to sustainable democracy. Ghana will have its runoff elections this coming Sunday. Nothing is ever perfect, but this country is trying hard. And apparently succeeding.