Former President Olusegun Obasanjo declared on Tuesday that Western Liberal Democracy has faltered in Africa as it was imposed on the continent.
Speaking during a high-level consultation on ‘Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy for Africa’ in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo argued that the Western system would never be effective in Africa because it neglects the perspectives of the majority.
Obasanjo characterized Western Liberal Democracy as a “government of a few people over all the people or population,” where the few representatives are not comprehensive representatives of the entire population.
According to him, this approach leaves the majority of people either knowingly or unknowingly excluded.
Advocating for an “Afro democracy” alternative, Obasanjo asserted that African countries should not adopt a system of government in which they have no role in its definition and design.
He expressed, “The weakness and failure of liberal democracy as it is practiced stem from its history, content, and context and its practice.”
Moving away from a system that shifts from representing all people to a representative of the people, Obasanjo questioned whether the minority should be ignored, neglected, and excluded in a majority-rule scenario.
Highlighting the need for introspection, he urged African nations to reevaluate the performance of democracy in the West, emphasizing the importance of considering their own cultural and traditional practices.
Obasanjo emphasized the necessity to think beyond conventional norms and to act with innovative ideas for a more effective system of government.
Addressing the gathering, he stated, “We are here to think out of the box and after, act with our new thinking.
You are invited here to examine clinically the practice of liberal democracy, identify its shortcomings for our society, and bring forth ideas and recommendations that can serve our purpose better.”
Obasanjo called on leaders in academia and experienced political leaders to contribute to this intellectual discourse for the betterment of the continent.
