Update – African Pathology: Eyademas! Togo’s Little Dada Replaces Big Dada.

But Baby Eyadema sits uneasily on his throne.

Because ECOWAS and the African Union (with a paternal assist from Europe and the United States) prevailed upon the Togo’s National Assembly to reverse its rubber-stamp approval of the army’s installation of Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema to replace his father as President. This is an unprecedented stand for democracy and the rule of law in Africa.

In announcing the corrective Parliamentary bill, the deputy Speaker declared that “it is only a fool who never changes his mind”. But I suspect economic sanctions and travel restrictions figured prominently in bringing the cosmopolitan (Francophone) MPs to their senses.

Baby Eyadema seems destined for a brief but pivotal footnote in African history. But that outside pressure might not be all it seems and he might have the last laugh – as so many African dictators do (whether sitting where he is or in splendid exile).