Jaji — United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, has identified over-ambition among young military officers and the erosion of core societal values as major catalysts for the spate of coup d'état witnessed across Africa.

This assessment was delivered by Matthew Alao, UNDP Team Lead for Governance, Peace and Security, at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre in Jaji, Kaduna State.

Alao said the military could not be divorced from the societal fabric it operates, adding that there was need to address the root causes of coups, such as over-ambition among young officers, eroding core values, religious beliefs and lack of education.

He warned that this leadership deficit was taking a toll on the country and should be addressed at all levels, from the family unit to the community.

"We have lost it. Now it's all about 'I and my family.' And this is leading us nowhere. This is why this course is very critical at this moment," Alao said.

He revealed that the leadership course, a brainchild of the former Commandant of the Peacekeeping Centre, Major General Obinna, was born out of the need to address the surge of coups in West Africa.

The UNDP, with funding from the Japanese government, is sponsoring the course to provide leadership training for middle-level military and civilian personnel, fostering values of subordination and leadership.

Addressing the persistent coups and counter-coups staged by military officers in Africa, Alao emphasized the fundamental problem of eroding core values, saying "our core values are fast breaking down. You will see agitation and expectation on so many issues that may not be reality."