Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world received with great shock the sad news of the death of  Chad’s President, Idriss Déby reported to have  died of injuries following clashes with rebels in the north of the country at the weekend.

The announcement of his death came on Tuesday,  a day after provisional election results projected he would win a sixth term in office.

Following his death,  The government and parliament have been dissolved.

President Déby  had gone to the front line, several hundred kilometres north of the capital N’Djamena, at the weekend to visit troops battling rebels belonging to a group calling itself Fact (the Front for Change and Concord in Chad).A military council led by Mr Déby’s son, a 37-year-old four star general, will govern for the next 18 months.

Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno will lead the council but “free and democratic” elections will be held once the transition period is over, the Army said in its statement. Ahead of the election on  April 11, Mr Déby campaigned on a platform of bringing peace and security to the region.

But there has been growing discontent  over his government’s management of Chad’s oil resources.In foreign relations under his leadership, his  country sent forces to assist Nigeria in the campaign against Boko Haram. It has been a major player in the G5 Sahel, with troops deployed in Mali and Niger. Chad also holds a big influence over events across its southern border in the Central African Republic.Internally, the government still appears to be in command and will seemingly be headed by Mr Déby’s son.Observers say  the longer term outlook is uncertain. Mr Déby had just been re-elected in a contest that opponents felt was far from democratic. With this in mind, it is not clear whether his successor will be able to sustain an authoritarian system.

 The previous bout of rebel activity had been much further north, in the Sahara and near to the border with Libya. This suggests instability has moved much further south.

There are also deep underlying political, societal and development pressures in Chad that were contained by Mr Déby’s forceful rule but certainly not resolved.Much will depend on whether his son’s military regime will seek to develop dialogue and consensus about the way forward or try and sustain the type of constitutional strongman regime that Mr Déby built.Founded in 2016 by disillusioned former army officers, the rebel Fact group accuses President Déby of repression in the run-up to the election.They built up their base in Libya in the Tibesti mountains, which straddle northern Chad and part of southern Libya.On election day the group mounted an attack on a border post and gradually advanced on N’Djamena the capital.

The new leader, Deby’s 37-year-old son, Mahamat, is best known as a top commander of the Chadian forces aiding a U.N. peacekeeping mission in northern Mali. The military said Tuesday he now will head an 18-month transitional council following his father’s death.The military called for calm, instituting a 6 p.m. curfew and closing the country’s land and air borders as panic kept many inside their homes in the capital, N’Djamena.

“In the face of this worrying situation, the people of Chad must show their commitment to peace, to stability, and to national cohesion,” Gen. Azem Bermandoa Agouma said.

The circumstances of Deby’s death could not immediately be independently confirmed due to the remote location of the fighting. The government has released few details of its efforts to put down the rebellion in northern Chad. The army said Tuesday that Deby had fought heroically but was wounded in a battle. He was then taken to the capital where he later died of unspecified wounds.As time goes on  details of the Chadian leader’s demise will come to  fore. Nevertheless, Chad and indeed Africa has lost one of its most courageous and pragmatic leaders. Nigeria and its government has lost in Deby, one of its most trusted friends and allies. On the coming to power of President  Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, the Chadian leader was among those  he visited to solicit support in the fight against  insurgency in the Northeast. Deby stood by Nigeria and gave the country the required support , and even on several occasions  he led his military in operations against the insurgents in the Northeast of the country. Nigeria will no doubt miss him for support.. Like some African leaders, his major weakness was staying too long in power. Thirty years in office was too much time for any leader to hold on to power. With the benefit of hindsight,  the attempt to extend his stay after three decades  in office was a great mistake.

If he left the scene,when the ovation was loudest,  probably, this fate wouldn’t have befallen him. There are even speculations that what happened was a coup d’etat in disguise. Whatever the case,  we enjoin his son, who just took over from him  to embark on reconciliation of the various groups in the country. He should   initiate genuine  talks with the rebels im the bid to restore peace and keep the country together. . Most importantly, efforts should be made to organise free and fair elections in the country, aimed at restoring true democracy at the shortest  possible time.

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