This contribution sorts out the opportunities and the threats of government interference in cooperative life. It proves to be a delicate balance between directing the economic and social forces without suffocating them. Since the independence era, most African governments have developed an ambiguous stand toward the cooperative movements in their countries. They embraced cooperatives as carriers of their economic and social policies while at the same time cooperatives were to some extent invaded by government officials. This has induced an overall negative impact with many cases of gross mismanagement, nepotism and corruption to such an extent that people turned their backs to cooperatives. Many cooperatives became dormant societies without members, activities or funds. Others continued to function, often in a defective way. This abuse of cooperativism came to an end when Structural Adjustment compelled governments to retire from the private sector and from economic activities at large. Loosing their last lifeline and not capacitated to be self-reliant, it seemed that African cooperative movements were either to rejuvenate or to fade away. Three studies, one commissioned by the World Bank (1993) and two by the ILO (2005, 2008) showed that cooperatives still have a significant presence in both urban and rural Africa. Moreover, the 2008 study led to believe that cooperatives would have the best prospects in countries where the government is taking charge of policy matters related to cooperative life. Does that mean that governments again are closing in on cooperatives? And is this for the better or for the worse?