The controversial anti-colonial pan-African activist Kemi Seba is at the moment in detention in South Africa, days after his arrest whereas allegedly trying to flee to Europe by way of Zimbabwe.
The 45-year-old is at the moment wished in Benin for “inciting insurrection” after allegedly supporting the nation’s foiled coup in December 2025.
Identified for his staunch opposition to French affect in Africa, backing of West African navy leaders and pro-Russian propaganda, Seba has had a number of skirmishes with the legislation in a number of totally different nations.
Born within the French metropolis of Strasbourg to Beninese dad and mom in 1981, Seba – whose actual title is Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi – has made a reputation for himself as a radical activist, who has been arrested many instances, together with for inciting racial hatred and antisemitism.
In his youth, he travelled to the US, the place he was influenced by the black nationalist motion, Nation of Islam (NOI), as he listened to sermons from the organisation the place Malcolm X was as soon as a outstanding determine.
On his return to France as an 18-year-old, he grew to become an envoy for NOI.
Two teams arrange by Seba have been banned by the French courts for inciting hatred and antisemitism [Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images]
Shortly afterwards, a visit to Egypt made him a follower of kemetism, a perception system based mostly on historic Egyptian theology.
Impressed by his travels, in 2004 he based Tribu Ka, a radical black segregationist motion by which he platformed antisemitic sentiments. Two years later, it was banned by the French authorities and dissolved, and he was sentenced to at least one month in jail.
On 28 Could, 2007, Seba and a few of his followers marched by a predominantly Jewish space of Paris to “defend the pursuits of Black folks”, French each day newspaper Le Figaro reported on the time.
The next 12 months, French courts sentenced him once more, this time to 6 months in jail – 4 of which have been suspended – for relaunching his Tribu Ka motion underneath a brand new title, Technology Kemi Seba, the paper added.
Confronted with mounting strain each from civil society activists and legislation enforcement, he left France for Senegal after his launch.
In line with French media, he additionally joined a brand new group, Motion of the Damned by Imperialism (MDI), and was president when he resigned in 2010. The group described itself as anti-imperialist and centered closely on on-line activism.
Paul Melly, a researcher for the Chatham Home Africa Programme, mentioned Seba has attracted a number of consideration lately along with his “very important” remarks on France and its position in Africa.
“His agenda may be very a lot now centered on this anti-French, what he would name ‘anti-colonial pitch’, and the resentment of the continued French affect in West Africa,” Melly informed the BBC, in distinction to his early profession 20 years in the past, when there have been a number of accusations of antisemitism.
In December 2015, Seba launched the NGO Pan-Africanist Emergency, which he nonetheless leads.
The group describes itself as a “black rights organisation with a geopolitical and humanitarian focus, specialising in points associated to sovereignty, neocolonialism, and the promotion of social justice”.
As somebody who opposes French affect in Africa, he’s additionally important of African nations which retain shut ties with the previous colonial energy, reminiscent of those who proceed utilizing the CFA franc as authorized tender.
One in all Pan-Africanist Emergency’s objectives is to finish using the foreign money.
France created the CFA franc within the late Nineteen Forties to function a foreign money in its then African empire and is among the most outstanding indicators of continued French affect over its former colonies.
Fourteen African nations together with Senegal, Benin and Ivory Coast nonetheless use the foreign money, which is pegged to the euro with monetary backing from the French treasury.
Seba is amongst many activists calling for the CFA to be deserted, saying it’s a method for France to retain financial management.
In August 2017, he burned a 5,000 CFA franc be aware (£6.60; $8.90) throughout a protest in Senegal, to denounce “Francafrique,” a time period used to explain France’s post-colonial affect in Africa.
He was arrested however acquitted days in a while a technicality, in response to reviews.
Seba’s followers took to the streets of Dakar to have a good time his launch after he set fireplace to a CFA banknote [AFP via Getty Images]
In an interview with the Ivory Coast-based information web site Yeclo in 2019, he named seven causes for “his struggle” in opposition to the CFA, together with the Financial institution of France having the “proper of veto in your banks”.
“With regard to financial orientations,” he defined, “the adage clearly states that whoever controls you economically will management you politically.”
Criticism of the CFA franc on financial grounds is rising, significantly amongst “youthful city West Africans”, in response to Melly. “Kemi Seba is fairly fashionable, particularly within the social media age with a number of younger followers in West Africa.”
A month after the incident, the self-styled “Afrocentrist” was deported from Senegal to France for posing a “severe risk to public order”, French newspaper Le Monde reported, citing the Ministry of the Inside and Public Safety in Dakar.
Some in West Africa criticise using the CFA as foreign money [AFP via Getty Images]
He has additionally confronted bother with the authorities in different Francophone nations.
“He is perceived by West African governments – which have good, shut relations with France – as a hostile determine,” Melly defined.
In August 2018, Seba was expelled from Togo, months after being kicked out of Guinea, the place he was to deal with a convention.
The next 12 months, he was deported from Ivory Coast to Benin for trying to carry a rally in opposition to French colonialism which the authorities mentioned posed a danger of unrest, and his criticism of the president’s defence of the CFA franc.
He’s additionally a staunch critic of outgoing Beninese President Patrice Talon. Upon his arrival in Benin he was briefly arrested. A separate go to to the nation in 2023 additionally noticed him arrested and launched.
In July 2024, France stripped Seba of his citizenship, to which he responded by burning his passport in public, saying he had been “free of the burden of French nationality”.
A month later, Niger granted him a diplomatic passport, and made him a “particular adviser” to junta chief Brig Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani.
Seba has change into “very, very outstanding in West Africa because the wave of navy coups” struck the area, Melly informed the BBC.
Niger, and neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, have all been taken over by navy regimes which can be “very hostile” to France, halting their navy co-operation with the French within the struggle in opposition to Islamist militants, and beginning to work with Russia as a substitute.
“The Russians have taken benefit of the truth that France is unpopular” in these nations, Melly defined.
In 2023, Thomas Gassilloud, who was the chairman of the French Nationwide Meeting’s defence committee on the time, accused Seba of performing as a mouthpiece for “Russian propaganda” and serving “a international energy that fuels anti-French sentiment”.
A 12 months later, the activist was detained by French authorities on suspicion of “hyperlinks” to the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, however later launched. On the time, Russia was two years into its conflict in Ukraine.
An African liberation mural in Senegal that includes Kemi Seba (L) and Winnie Manela (R) [Anadolu Agency via Getty Images]
After so many brushes with the legislation, he’s as soon as once more in courtroom, this time in South Africa.
Citing his legal professionals, AFP information company mentioned the arrest was made for breaching immigration legal guidelines. He and his 18-year-old son, Khonsou Seba Capo Chichi have been arrested throughout a sting operation in Pretoria final week.
A supply near him informed AFP he had been residing within the nation for round 5 months, overstaying his visa by round two months.
Following the arrest, South African police mentioned: “[Seba] is allegedly a wished fugitive in France and Benin for legal actions referring to crimes in opposition to the state.”
South African authorities mentioned an extradition course of was underneath method however didn’t specify which nation had filed the request.
Benin’s particular prosecutor Elonmario Metonou mentioned the nation was “at the moment getting ready” an extradition request for him.
Benin issued two worldwide warrants for the anti-colonial influencer on 12 December, 2025, after he allegedly supported a coup try in opposition to the outgoing president. Hours after the try, Seba declared it a “day of liberation” for the nation in a web based video. He’s additionally wished within the nation for “cash laundering”.
He has not commented on the allegations in opposition to him.
Nevertheless, Hery Djehuty, Pan-Africanist Emergency’s worldwide coordinator and second-in-command, informed Anadolu information company that Benin’s accusations wouldn’t “stand as much as scrutiny”.
The second-in-command additionally known as the cash laundering fees – which he first heard of in the course of the prosecutor’s briefing – a set-up aimed toward strengthening the request.
Djehuty additionally denied reviews that Seba had utilized for asylum in South Africa.
Kemi Seba (C) and his son (R) are accused of making an attempt to flee to Europe with the assistance of South African nationwide Francois van der Merwe (L) [AFP via Getty Images]
In the meantime, Pan-Africanist Emergency urged its followers to “stay calm” within the face of what it known as “quite a few faux information tales and different disinformation campaigns unfold by the French-African media shops”.
“Removed from weakening him, these manoeuvres solely strengthen the legitimacy and scope of his dedication to social justice, sovereignty, and African dignity,” the group mentioned in an announcement.
“Historical past teaches an immutable fact: you can’t silence a folks by breaking its bravest voices. There’s an everlasting Benin, simply as there stays an African DNA of insubordination,” it added.
South African nationwide Francois van der Merwe – who’s the chief of Afrikaner nationalist group Bittereinders – was additionally taken into custody for serving to them.
Seba’s bail listening to has been set for 29 April.
[Getty Images/BBC]
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