Five people stood in front of newsstand owner, Chantal Dagah’s kiosk, in Cotonou’s bustling economic district.
Ordinarily, traffic at Dagah’s newsstand near several government ministries is slow, but the day after an attempted coup, Cotonou residents were eager to read the latest developments.
On Sunday, a group of soldiers seized the national television station and announced that President Patrice Talon had been deposed. However, the effort was swiftly quashed by loyalist army forces, with support from the Nigerian Air Force.
“I don’t usually buy newspapers, but today I grabbed two, because something exceptional happened yesterday,” said customer Stephane Nelson as he browsed the headlines.
Despite the dramatic events, including air strikes and troop movements, calm had largely returned to the seaside city as life began to resume.
Headlines reflected the renewed sense of stability. Le Parakois declared, “Talon reassures the country after foiled coup,” while L’Independant echoed, “President Talon’s statement reassures and re‑enchants the Nation.”
Although life was settling back to normal, remnants of the crisis remained visible. Tanks were stationed along the Boulevard de la Marina, a key artery linking the presidential palace, airport, seaport, and ministries. Some roads around the presidential palace were still blocked.
Nelson told AFP, “It was important to know more. There’s still a lot in flux, but we know that the stakes are important, especially since a sovereign country had to intervene to support our democracy.”
He was referring to the air strikes and troop deployment by Nigeria, which responded to a request from Beninese authorities to help repel the would‑be junta leaders, who had labelled themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR).
Despite claims by the CMR that Talon had been “removed from office,” a source close to the president told AFP that Talon had always been safe and had fast mobilised loyalist forces against the small group controlling the television station.
The search for soldiers involved in the coup attempt continued, although all hostages, including senior officers, had been freed.
Talon, who is scheduled to complete his second term in April, appeared on national television declaring, “the situation is completely under control.”
Life In Cotonou Resumes With Caution
By Monday, Cotonou, a busy Atlantic coastal city, was largely back to business as usual. Street vendors hawked their goods, moto‑taxis roamed the roads, and schoolchildren crossed wide boulevards.
“It’s almost a normal Monday,” said an agriculture ministry employee, who declined to be named. “I hope there won’t be anything else like this. I’m happy everything seems to have gone back to normal,” he added, sipping lemon tea under a tree.
But not everyone was unaffected by the disruption.
“I had to close the shop yesterday,” said 19‑year‑old tailor Thor, who spoke to AFP. “Today, I’m here as if it’s a normal day. I hope that doesn’t happen again, because otherwise I’ll lose money.”
His workshop sits just down the street from a National Guard base that was struck by Nigerian air power on the day of the attempted coup.
Down the road in a noodle restaurant, amid the steam and aroma of cooking, customers debated why business was slow.
“It could be the coup attempt, or just the heavy rains that are lashing the city,” one patron said.
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