In the aftermath of military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, France finds itself at a crossroads in its historical ties with former African colonies. Expulsions of French troops and ambassadors by ruling juntas have significantly diminished Paris' involvement in the region. Moreover, not so long ago, eight West African countries proposed the withdrawal of their currency reserves from the French central bank. Mali, for one, amended its constitution to remove French as an official language, and Morocco made English classes mandatory in high schools. In Niger, there were massive rallies in Niamey where tens of thousands of people condemned France by burning its flags and demanding a shift in the status quo.  Burkina Faso's junta-led government, which also recently abandoned French as an official language, is currently in the process of constructing the country's first gold refinery, a departure from the common practice of exporting the precious mineral to France for refining. In this conversation, we delve into the unfolding narrative of the anti-French sentiment and 'second independence' while exploring the compelling reasons driving these nations to redefine their relationship with France. Political Economist Joseph Ochieno joins Lerato Mbele for the conversation.