As Gabon goes into paralysis, many are writing that Africa should do away with “democracy” because it has not delivered sustained dividends to the people. Yes, poverty, hopelessness and despair continue to be the byproducts of Africa’s democracy.
But the question is this: what is the alternative? Certainly, not the military because we have seen their results also. Yes, they’re “no good”, and there is no way we can forget in a hurry how decades of military rule destroyed Africa. When politicians steal, you know. But when the khaki men steal, you see no records because they keep none.
My postulation is simple: we need to focus on Leadership and not just on “Democracy” with the colouration of the Western mindset. As a certified village boy who did not leave the village until they forced me to leave the village for college, I can tell you that most African communities have indigenous democratic systems.
In most Igbo communities, the oldest man in the clan runs the community and he seeks counsel from other elders. Even though he may seem to be the boss, he does not wield any unusual power; he folds into the antennas of the citizens. In Ovim, the Ojengwa women are like police officers. They have the power to excommunicate stubborn people and ban them. But before that is done, everyone must agree that the person is really bad. Consensus and democratic ideals!
Democracy is not for the Western world. What you can say they have more than us is better leadership. But Africa cannot have better leadership when we vote based on tribe, religion, etc. The fact is this: poverty does not respect tribe, religion, etc.
Good People, Africa’s problem is not Western Democracy. And the solution is not military rule. What we have to do is become real, and that means leaving behind tribalism, religiosity, etc as we choose leaders. The solution is good governance and that cannot come without a filtering process.
If we can improve the electoral process, democracy will give us what we need. I have advocated that the African Union should take over conducting elections as it makes no sense to allow sitting presidents to supervise elections their parties or themselves are participating in.
Interestingly, I made that point in the City of Democracy, Libreville, Gabon, as the now deposed president of Gabon smiled. I called it the African Democratic Commission with a clear mandate to conduct free and fair elections under the tenets of the AU within member states!
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Comment 1: I completely agree with you, Prof. Ndubuisi Ekekwe!
Whenever I condemn military coups, some folks erroneously believe that it means I agree with our current democratic anomaly in Africa; no, I don’t agree with our current system a bit.
As you’ve noted, a redesign of our system (African Union serving as electoral umpire) and building leadership in all spheres of our institutions (beyond looking for a presidential savior) is what we need.
I witnessed some of the years during Nigeria military juntas; those guys are very abusive and power drunk. I remember several times how a private officer would beat up older men in their SUVs on the roads (at the slightest provocations), the scale of corruption (no one dared report, etc. Since then, I have loathed the military regime and detested them in power; they are made for Command and control.
Africa needs to build its own systems, have its own debates (we need to learn how to disagree to agree), and its own identity. We do not need a ‘Boss’ at the helm of affairs; we need ‘leaders’ throughout our organizations.
Comment 2: Political leaders in Africa are pushing the people to the wall. What is playing out should serve as a reminder to them that there are alternatives to democracy, and it’s a different conversation whether those alternatives are acceptable or not. In any case, the people should have a say in what the acceptable mode of political governance is. AU, ECOWAS and the rest should design a mechanism to develop metrics for leadership and governance, and encourage subtle peer review.
You cannot be beating a child and tell him or her not to cry. The people will support any alternative at this point because democracy in Africa seems to be a safe haven for leadership without purpose
