Former Nigerian leader and elder statesman, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has lampooned the way Western liberal democracy is being practised in Nigeria and some other Africa countries and made a case for what he called ‘afro-democracy.’ Obasanjo stated this in an address at a high level consultation on “Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy for Africa” held recently in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The former president described Western liberal democracy as “government of a few people over all the people or population and these few people are only representatives of only some of the people and not full representatives of all the people. Invariably, majority of the people are wittingly or unwittingly kept out.”
He argued that this concept of democracy is alien in definition and design, weak in content, history, context, and practice, and an obvious imposition deserving of urgent reforms and new thinking. Similarly, former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, observed that democracy in Africa is bedeviled with many challenges. However, he advised that “non-delivery of development outcomes for the people must be adequately addressed so that democracy can deliver.”
Obasanjo’s call for an indigenous democratic model that will replace the Western liberal democracy came on the heels of the recent flawed elections in Nigeria and some other African countries. In Nigeria, we have practised both the parliamentary system of government copied from Britain, our erstwhile colonial leader, and the presidential system of government modeled after that of the United States.
In both instances, Nigerians did not fare well. It is either we have failed both systems or both of them failed us. Nevertheless, democracy in Africa is no longer the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Instead, it has become the government of the few and for the few. Political leaders in Africa are behaving like despots with unlimited powers to appropriate the commonwealth to themselves, their families and their cronies.
They have brazenly extended their term limits to enable them remain perpetually in power. This is why Africa has the highest number of sit-tight leaders in the world. They include Theodore Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, 44 years, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos of Angola, 44 years, and Paul Biya of Cameroun, 43 years.
While democracy has fared relatively well in Europe and America, it has completely failed in Africa and some parts of Asia. But, Africa remains the worst case experiment with Western democracy. For example, a free and fair poll is taken for granted in Europe and America. But in Africa, election is still a ‘do or die affair.’ Election results are manipulated with impunity and the judiciary appears to be compromised in authenticating and validating the rigged polls.
In our democracy, the rule of law is observed in the breach. There is no respect for human rights. With ‘strong men’ in politics, good governance will remains a mirage in Africa. This is probably why corruption is rife in Africa. With our leaders’ dictatorial approach to democracy, Western liberal democracy cannot work in Africa because it is alien. The imposition of the alien political system in Africa has apparently exacerbated the leadership challenge in Africa and led to many coups and wars in Africa.
After more than two decades of uninterrupted democratic rule in Nigeria, the country is still highly divided and dividends of democracy are yet to be provided by those in government. There is widespread subversion of democratic tenets and values. The cost of governance is still very high. Although Western liberal democracy has worked and failed in some places, its failure in Nigeria and some other African countries can be traced to how African politicians practise it. Therefore, it is time for African countries to model its own form of democracy to include the peculiarities of Africa.
Beyond the clamour for homegrown democracy, African leaders should strengthen their democratic institutions and make them to function effectively. Besides, the people, especially the politicians have to be reoriented and weaned of the ‘win at all cost’ mentality. They must desist from the ‘winner takes all’ attitude to politics.
Interestingly, there are so many reports on how to deepen our democracy. Let the government implement some of them. Alternatively, the government can set up a committee to design the kind of government we really want.