Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of Western liberal democracy in Africa, advocating for a local solution, which he termed “Afro-democracy.”
This alternative system would incorporate Nigerian and African cultural, traditional, and lifestyle elements.
The former president made his opinion public during a closed-door meeting in Abuja with former President Goodluck Jonathan and legislators led by Kingsley Chinda.
The meeting was prompted by a push from House of Representatives members to reintroduce a parliamentary system, aiming to decrease Nigeria’s governance costs.
Chinda’s group has been vocal in their opposition to the presidential system’s governance costs, advocating for a change.
Obasanjo recommended a return to African governance traditions and called for an ideology-based system.
He criticized the colonial legacy and the opposition inherent in Western democracy, contrasting it with African communal consensus and self-rule.
Instead, he urged consideration of a system reflecting African communal values, emphasizing dialogue and debate.
While proposing this alternative system, Obasanjo tempered expectations for rapid change, suggesting that the project might not come to fruition soon.
However, he stressed the need for an authentically African solution, tailored to the continent’s unique cultural and traditional context.
In essence, Obasanjo’s concept of Afro-democracy seeks to redefine democracy in a way that is more inclusive and participatory, drawing on African values and traditions.
This approach aims to address the limitations of Western liberal democracy in the African context, fostering a more sustainable and effective governance system, according to BusinessDay.
He said, “Our problems started from the colonial masters. They gave us what they had. So, now you are taking the right step. (Rishi) Sunak is a Prime Minister (UK), who is not voted for. Even for them, liberal democracy is failing.
“Our constitution started on a faulty base. It’s a product of their culture and tradition. Western democracy has what is called opposition. They have loyal opposition because they are loyal to the monarchy. We had thriving Kingdoms. We rule ourselves with consensus. If you commit an abomination you will be punished.
“Let us look at our lives. Our lives are characterised or symbolised by communalism. If we now come back home, we will get it right. You can call it Afro-democracy not democracy of opposition. We can move and agree to the structure we are going to put in place.
“There is the need for ideology. They change parties as women change wrappers. What are you going to do it can be done and it must be done and that is what you are doing. If you do it well, we will have that critical mass.
“Something that encompasses our culture, our tradition our ways of life. You can call it Afro-democracy or whatever you call it. Let’s resource, let’s see debate, let’s dialogue. Don’t let them pervert.”
