Togo: West Africa last remaining 'bad boy'

Di Gnassingbé family don rule Togo for more than 50 years now but President Faure Gnassingbé dis past week don face serious protests to resign.

Faure Gnassingbé collect di baton of rulership from im papa, Gnassingbé Eyadema, wey rule with support from di army for 38 years.

Since then, Togo don organise three elections for 2005, 2010 and 2015 wey Faure Gnassingbé 'win'.

No other country for West Africa dey allow person contest presidency more than two times.

''Togo na di only country for ECOWAS wey never see any real democratic change.'' Dat na according to political expert Gilles Yabi.

Along with The Gambia, Togo na di only member of Economic Community of West African States wey no agree one plan to reduce di number of times person fit become president for di region during one meeting for Accra, Ghana for May 2015.

After democracy return back to The Gambia for 2017, Togo come bi di last remaining 'bad boy' for West Africa.

But one thing wey dey work for Togo be say many heads of state for ECOWAS dey give Gnassingbé support.

Even now, Gnassingbé na di current rotating president of ECOWAS.

Apart from about twelve former heads of state, like Olusegun Obasanjo for Nigeria and Jerry Rawlings for Ghana wey don speak about di protests wey dey go on for Togo, West Africa leaders just keep quiet.

"Like France and di European Union, Togo and West Africa bi partners wey dey value stable government pass everything." Dat na wetin Comi Toulabor, wey be head of research for di Institute of Political Studies for Bordeaux talk.

Toulabor say Togo government agree for people to protest dis past weeks because of di kind power di people get wey dey give government sleepless night.

Di last time people organise protests wey big reach like dis, na for 2005 after di first elections wey Faure win.

Authorities use heavy force stop di protests and at least 500 people die.

But Gnassingbé don signal to im rivals say im ready to support bill wey go reduce di number of presidential term to two five-year terms and introduce two-round voting.

Gilles Yabi talk say Gnassingbé dey pretend to di international diplomatic community.

''Gnassingbé dey try make people forget say no be proper democracy im dey do," him talk.

Togo don organise plenty international meetings. One of dem na di African Union meeting on Maritime Security for October 2016.

Yabi believe say all na part of di strategy Gnassingbé dey use to toast foreign investors. But plenty people no get work and poverty full everywhere.

France wey be Togo former colonial power till now never talk anything about di protests .