Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria, has expressed that the implementation of Western-style democracy in Africa has been unsuccessful, as it does not resonate with the continent’s values, culture, and lifestyle. He made these remarks on Monday during the 60th birthday colloquium of Emeka Ihedioha, the former governor of Imo State.
Obasanjo raised the question of whether Africa is genuinely practicing democracy or simply imitating Western liberal democracy. He criticized the manner in which Western democracy is executed in Africa, suggesting that it has led to corrupt power grabs, leaving citizens to seek justice in courts that often fail to deliver it.
Obasanjo argued that before colonial rule, Africa had governance systems that served the people effectively, which, in his view, qualified as democracy. He referenced Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” stating that the system should work for all citizens, not just a privileged few.
According to Obasanjo, democracy has evolved into a system where a small group of people govern over a large majority who are deprived of their rights and necessities. He criticized this model, describing it as a system that enables corruption and injustice, where those in power accumulate wealth illegally and leave the masses without recourse.
Obasanjo contended that prior to the advent of colonialism, Africa possessed governance structures that effectively catered to the needs of its populace, which he believed constituted a form of democracy. He cited Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” emphasizing that such a system should benefit all citizens rather than just a select elite.
He further asserted that democracy has transformed into a framework in which a small minority exercises control over a vast majority, who are stripped of their rights and essential needs. Obasanjo criticized this paradigm, characterizing it as one that fosters corruption and injustice, allowing those in authority to amass wealth unlawfully while leaving the general population without any means of redress.
“Democracy has now become representative democracy. Today we have democracy, which is government of the people, of a small number of people, by a small number of people, over a large number of people who are deprived of what they need to have in life. Now that is not democracy that will endure. So if you are talking of democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed.
“And why has it failed? Because it didn’t have any content, and in content, is not African. It does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe. What sort of democracy brings you and you grab everything illegally, corruptly, and you say go to court? Even in the court, you cannot get justice”, he stated.
He cautioned that democracy in Africa is not merely faltering but is in jeopardy of completely perishing unless it is reimagined to embody African values and address the needs of its populace. He advocated for a strategy that incorporates Africa’s cultural and historical background to establish a governance system that genuinely benefits everyone.
“We have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa. I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa”, Obasanjo said.
During the same event, Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, challenged Bishop Kukah’s positive perspective on democracy and supported Obasanjo’s assertion that democracy has faltered in Nigeria under the present administration.
The ex-Governor of Anambra State pointed out that, unlike the current situation where a president has the authority to suspend a governor, the judiciary was predominantly free from corruption during the tenures of Obasanjo and former President Musa Yaradua.
Obi expressed his disagreement with the Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Archdiocese, Hassan Matthew Kukah, who maintained that democracy has not failed but is still evolving.
He said: “Well, if you look at what Bishop Kukah has said, he says it’s a work in progress. Let me use, follow my brother when he said about 1999. If you look at where we are today, it’s like, they started in 1999, laid the foundation. Some people came and took it to a decking. And some people were trying to raise it to first floor. And some people came and knocked everything down. That’s the situation we are now. Everything was knocked down. Nothing works.
“And I’m somebody who can say this exemplary. I became a governor through the court when President Obasanjo and Atiku were in government. I did not pay the court one naira, I was sitting in my house, in the office, and the court declared me winner. When a governor is hosting them. It can’t happen in Nigeria today.
“When I was being impeached, the president sent people to come and intervene on my behalf. Ken Namani came, begging the house people not to impeach me. Today, the president impeaches the person. So that is the thing. So it’s collapsed. So it’s failed. They were begging my House not to impeach me. And they were in PDP. I was in APGA. And they were begging. President was calling me, Peter, are you okay? Even when I was impeached, President Obasanjo called me and said, are you okay? Are you safe?
“When I go back from the court, when the court eventually declared me under Andy Ubah, President Yaradua, called my phone in London and said, come back. I said, President, I can’t come back because, you know, if I come back. He said, tell me the flight in which you’re coming back. And I told him, when I came, it was the first time military people came to receive me at the airport. I couldn’t believe it. And took me straight to him. Now, the President will ask me not to come back here again. So, it failed. Let’s talk about how we are going to rebuild it. It’s collapsing.”
Share the story! You can listen to the podcast here.
You can create wealth, live healthier, look better, and be more knowledgeable. You deserve this life! Do not hesitate to earn it, visit our marketplace today.