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SPOTLIGHTS
- DemoCreatives aims to leverage the influence of creatives to promote and defend democracy
- The initiative seeks to define what democracy means in the West African context
- Organisers highlighted the decline in democracy globally and the need for solidarity and free expression
By Henry Uche, Lagos
As West Africa grapples with the challenges of consolidating democracy, a fresh initiative is being mobilised by creatives, civil society, and democracy activists to leverage the transformative power of art and ideas.
In Lagos, the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), in collaboration with the Centre of Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Yiaga Africa, Africtivistes, and AWO Hub, launched the DemoCreatives initiative, leveraging the power, influence, and resources of creatives to promote and defend democracy.
DemoCreatives is an innovative initiative that brings together African creatives—poets, musicians, actors, playwrights, dancers, artists, singers and painters, bloggers, and influencers—to federate efforts for the promotion of democracy in Africa and across the region.
Cynthia Mbamalu, Director of Programmes at Yiaga Africa, moderated a panel session on “Working with Creatives: Understanding the Motivations, Impact, Opportunities, and Challenges.” Earlier, in her welcome speech, she said that Yiaga Africa believes in solidarity and partnership and considers DemoCreatives a movement.
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According to Mbamalu, democracy is not just a label, but a practice that needs to be entrenched in Africa and West Africa. “The fact that a country is called democratic does not necessarily mean it is democratic in its practice. What we are trying to achieve in DemoCreatives is to define what democracy means to us as Africans and West Africans and work towards entrenching what democracy ought to be because we know that there are a lot of challenges in our system,” she said.
Mbamalu disclosed that there is a decline in democracy globally and a ‘democratic recession’ in the sub-region, with coups and authoritarian tendencies. She added that expression is fundamental to humanity, and civic space includes all individuals, not just creatives.
“Expression is what makes us human. The fact that the first thing we do is to express that we are alive means we must constantly look for a system that supports our rights to free expression and press because, without that right, we can’t be in a democracy, and that is the right that is targeted as we celebrate with creatives to explore,” she said.
She stated that solidarity is crucial in building a democracy that works, and people must learn to stand together and speak for each other.
Similarly, the Chairman of CDD WADEMOS, Dr. Koto Asante, said WADEMOS is a response to the need for social change and the desire to see change in West Africa.
He said people need to feel free to express themselves and use their talents to improve the welfare of citizens, addressing challenges like poverty and underdevelopment. “There is a sense of hopelessness and despair in West Africa, which needs to be reversed,” he stressed.
