ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo advised a rethink of western democracy, states that the country’s system of government was imposed by colonial powers.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a reevaluation of the governmental framework in Nigeria, advocating for a system rooted in African cultural values. He asserted that Western democracy has proven ineffective, as reported by local media on Wednesday.
Obasanjo expressed these views during a farewell event for Chinedum Babalola, the outgoing vice-chancellor of Chrisland University, held in Ogun State.
“I have consistently emphasized that Western liberal democracy is not serving our interests. It is failing even in the countries that introduced it to us. The British themselves have raised concerns. It is imperative that we reconsider our approach to democracy,” Obasanjo stated.
He further elaborated, “We need to integrate our cultural heritage into our democratic practices. African culture emphasizes unity rather than opposition; it encourages collaboration, dialogue, and collective action.”
In November of the previous year, the former president reiterated similar sentiments at a conference titled ‘Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy for Africa,’ where he argued that the political systems imposed by colonial powers are ill-suited for the African context. He characterized Western liberal democracy as a “government of a select few over the entire populace,” designed without consideration for Africa’s diverse historical and cultural landscape.
The continent has experienced significant political turmoil in recent years, marked by military coups that have arisen in response to perceived failures of democratic governance. Over the past four years, there have been eight coups in West and Central Africa, with Nigeria’s neighboring countries, including Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger, currently under military rule.
Since transitioning from military governance in 1999, Nigeria has enjoyed its longest period of continuous democratic rule since gaining independence from Britain in 1960. Obasanjo, who first served as the military head of state of Nigeria from 1976–1979, was also the civilian president of the country from 1999–2007. Hence, officials from the present Nigerian government often accused him of directly influencing the country’s adoption of the current administrative model, which he is warning against.
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