Opinion

Needs to Refine Democracy in Africa

Idegu Ojonugwa Shadrach*

Independent Researcher, Lagos, Nigeria

Submission:June 14, 2024;Published:June 27, 2024

*Corresponding author:Idegu Ojonugwa Shadrach, Independent Researcher, Lagos, Nigeria

How to cite this article:Idegu O S. Needs to Refine Democracy in Africa. Acad J Politics and Public Admin. 2024; 1(4): 55556. DOI:10.19080/ACJPP.2024.01.555569.

Abstract

Africa, occupied with multicultural nations and rich in natural resources is fired by poor democracy. In all measures to establish and safeguard good political storage for governance, African politicians have gone biased and, in return, have discomforted the states with bad fragrance. Africans suffer endlessly in the hands of their political leaders. In all attempts to strengthen good governance by human rights activists, intellectuals and others, all efforts have been frustrated by political leaders as conscience of citizens are bought and, citizens are robbed during electoral processes. To this, Africa States are faced with underdevelopment due to poor political representation. Unfortunately, some of the poor citizens don’t know how to challenge their political leaders.

Keywords: Democracy; Africa; Governance; Citizens and Underdevelopment

Introduction

Before now, across the globe, specifically where democracy is conveyed in governance, drastic growths and developments are major fragrances of a state. As populated in America, and spread out to rest continents of the world, it is attached with human general conscience, following a fact that, it features staged wholistic measures of humanity. Up to the political era of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a driving force of positivity, and Abraham Lincoln modified it for general humanity by his lovely definition or redefinition of concept of democracy and, his real and speech-mannered demonstration of democratic governance in his political views and presidency-scorecards, democracy has attracted populace of developed and developing countries. Even as democracy is either taking leads or not in the global political firmaments, Africa has killed moral definition of democracy and the prediction of end of democracy is having a credit in most of African States. A lot of democratic decisions have been embedded in governance - to an extent, military government is more governable with touches of monumental achievements to democratic government in most of African States where military has seized government for possible text running. Hatred, tribalism, religious conflicts, jealousy, and a host alike of environmental factors challenging growths and developments of a state, which is not good to front socially-biased system of governments, have found treasures in democratic system of government due to unskilled, ill-behaved, ill-hearted and old-fashioned politicians across African States. This depressing mode on the democratic governance in Africa has plugged many of the nations with political instabilities and, giving express birth to demoralized and paralyzed economy. Especially in most West and East African States, the refusal of moral and appropriationally used of democratic parameters and workings is a reason the naturally-enriched resourceful nations couldn’t find reasonable indexes in global comforting nations. Up till now, none of African States is developed following maladministration. The political characterizations and participations of African politicians and the ignoramus resilience of political delivery of African citizens is a score of Africa underdevelopment.

The voting and representative system in Africa democracy is far beyond normal ways to democratic seats. While Africa sing democracy when there is no sign of it in governance, everything seems twisted; the outperforming degrees in respect to it blind existence across Africa States is giving Africa internal and external problems. African politicians who know how to buy their ways in bribery and corruption would never allow Americans, Europeans and Asians see deeply into cries of African States. The high level of brainwashed and compromised initiated and regulated between African politicians and intellectuals has given unreliable references about Africa. This is because of their selfishness, but the white can never know the full story accredited in Africa political history after independence of African States. Hence, it is very difficult to help people who don’t love themselves. In fact, nothing is helping in Africa - hence, recently, these unprincipled and unprintable politicians have bought every progressive societal union like monarchial, religion and the host alike. To this extent, citizens are nothing more than slaves in the hands of their people. Electoral processes in these States are highly compromised. Leaders vote themselves in through electoral manipulations. Visionaries and human rights activists are neglected and killed. Youths are weaponized by these politicians against one another. Nothing is just working, yet, they implement wrong ideologies, unreasonable approaches and fragmentary discussions - these are of no value and workings for the citizens. But they are wellequipped with knowledge of embezzling riches of these nations mercilessly. They can only give empty promises and hopes. They can promote tribalism and sentimentalism for personal reasons and many more.

One of the reasons democracies is demoralized in Africa is because of inclusive extremities of political parties over representative extremities. Democracy is lopsided on this interest. There can’t be a balanced representation if a constitution of a political party is only neutrally-inclined among political parties’ members. Instead of vying for peoples’ representative choices, African politicians are more concerned with political activities. The worst is that, they don’t give good advice to one another on peoples’ choices but, on an advice that could deliver their subsequent tenures in offices. Project fees for constituencies are shared among leading members of political parties. Projects are allocated to communities’ base on their recent contributions to their enthronement. Politics has turned into things of entitlement. This political behaviorism is cursing growths and developments in the localities. So, until African leaders shift from political parties’ representatives to citizens’ representations, no reasonable achievements can be recorded.

Real democracy is a champion of rule of law. There can never have responsible government without equal treatment of citizens. This is when rights and freedoms can be respected and, in return, projects reasonable materialisms, because, redemptive voices are especially productive. Maintenance of Rule of Law energizes citizens to be law abiding as leaders show examples. On this, orderliness of citizens’ actions and activities - especially, using citizens’ opinions where necessary, and inviting them for public debates and discussions on national issues, give citizens morale to plan well and work harder for their states. Statistically, African intellectuals spread globally due to Africa poor political atmosphere are enough to give Africa good colours and shapes in growths and developments especially in science and technology; if coupled with agricultural progressions in Africa - it is not far from seeing Africa as a global powerhouse. When the rule of law is maintained, it is hard to see lawless activities and actions that always cause uproar in the societies. Societies can’t grow if there is unrest. Because, basically, lawlessness is the mother of insecurities just as bribery and corruptions are the mothers of unemployment in a nation. But, when little acts of lawlessness are treated with high degree of punishment - disciplined and principled life would be embraced. Importantly, if bribery and corruption receive deadly punishment as it happens in developed and developing countries, it would give Africa a beautiful beginning.

Extensively, omission of immunity of political office holders especially executive arms of government in Africa in order to have regulatory governance of democracy is another thing that can boast growths and developments in Africa - because, accountability, Check and Balance in government commands reasonable growths. Withdrawing immunity gives citizens courage to question where necessary in an administration. Immunity makes political leaders especially executive arms of government manage governance as liked. Then, when they are about to go, they clean cheats with bribery. In some cases, they choose successors - then, length of corruptions is elongated. This definitely touches national values. The removal of immunity creates room for citizens’ government – leaders’ and citizens’ fellowship. So, representative government is developmentally-appropriated.

Ultimately, correcting definition of arms of government so to have reliable, accountable and performing government is one of the developmental features needed in democratic system of government in Africa. As long as Separation of Power is not honoured, political enjambment is hosted. Effects of selfcompromised three arms of government (executive, legislature and judiciary) on citizens and national developments are immensely-bad. This is the leading political issue in Africa. That is why; a collapse of executive arms of government is a total collapse of a given government or an administration. So, underdevelopment of Africa is doctored by executive arms of government. Hence, everything is in total collapse. And this is a great pandemic in Africa democracy. It is therefore a thing to review by both Africans and African leaders. Doing this would help navigate democratic receipts.

1) Africa democratic paralysis is traced to black approaches towards developmental channels in all ramifications. It is a pity to see Africa running off lanes. In short, there is a need for revolution of democracy in Africa. Note; current governable atmosphere which is barbaric would continue to uphold without possible and positive reshapes in democracy. And, on a long run is not good for Africa at all. To this end, Africans are admonished to fight for good democratic features in their governance. Hence, Africa would remain the same for sake of all these challenges, respectively.