Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that democracy in Nigeria and Africa is “dying” due to its disconnect from the continent’s values.
Obasanjo shared his views at the 60th birthday colloquium of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, in Abuja. He lamented that Africa’s political system has become one in which leaders illegally and corruptly seize power, while citizens are left with no recourse to justice, despite being urged to seek solutions in courts that rarely deliver fair outcomes.
According to Obasanjo, true democracy should cater to the entire population, not just an elite few. He emphasized the importance of reimagining a governance system that reflects African traditions and is not based on the flawed adaptations of Western liberal democracy. “If we are talking about democracy failing in Africa, it has already failed,” he stated, noting that it lacks alignment with Africa’s cultural values and societal needs.
Obasanjo also questioned the very definition of democracy in Africa, pointing out that African societies had well-established governance systems before colonial rule, which were tailored to the needs of the people. He pointed out that the current concept of democracy should not be confined to Western liberal ideologies.
Reflecting on the words of former American president Abraham Lincoln, Obasanjo reminded the audience that democracy, at its core, is meant to be a government of, by, and for the people. However, he argued that today’s representative democracy in Africa serves only a privileged minority, leaving the majority disenfranchised and deprived.
The former president also condemned the current state of African democracy, which, in his view, allows a few to accumulate wealth through corrupt means, while the general populace remains excluded from justice. “What sort of democracy allows a few to grab everything, illegally and corruptly, only to tell the people to seek justice in a system that cannot deliver it?” he asked.
Obasanjo concluded with a stark warning: “It’s not that democracy is failing, democracy is dying. If we are to revive it, we must redefine democracy in the context and content of Africa. Only then can we hope to have a system that serves all of our people and endures.”
