How Africans practice Democracy wrongly

Governance, as we all came to meet is the process whereby an individual or group of people, are entrusted with the mandate of leadership or administrative authority to spearhead the affairs of a larger society toward an expected goal. The first man created was faced with the substantial task of managing the eco-system to the expectations of the maker. He was exceptionally endowed with wisdom and knowledge required for him to excel. Ironically, when left alone, man was consequentially depraved of innovation. In order to sanitize the situation, the Supreme Maker intervened with the system of governance called THEOCRACY-The leadership of God, or religious leaders. Hardly had the Supreme Maker settled down, man disapproved of his divine leadership and demanded another form of governance which was reluctantly granted. This brought about dynasties.

With the advent of ancient civilization, a variety of systems of governance were introduced namely Democracy, Autocracy, Plutocracy, Meritocracy among others. The Western world, notably our colonial masters adopted Democracy- government of the people, by the people, and for the people, which substantially inculcated the rights and consent of every individual of a recognized jurisdiction. But lo and behold! Democracy as seen by the pundits and adjudged as the best system of governance when introduced in Africa became "THEM and US".

If I may ask; Was Africa and the rest of the marginalized world hoodwinked with a system of governance that is alien to them, or is it that non democratized countries were not adequately customized and given much orientation to the nitty-gritty of democracy? Africa and the marginalized world rather embraced democracy and paradoxically, used it as divisive and segregational tool to disintegrate our rank and file. If democracy is pivotal in the governance of any human society with absolute adherence to the rule of law, why then should we, in our part of the world use it as a tool to rather disintegrate ourselves with the tag " THEM and US". The entire African society is entangled with this menace to the detriment of unity and development. Outside government, one group of people hold a magic wand, judging those in the helm of affairs as enemies, while those in office hold the utmost priority to all state largesse without recourse to the fear of God. It is unfortunate and incomprehensible that, democracy in our world, instead of being a progressive tool, had become a retrogressive tool. It is unfortunately perceived as such because of actions and inactions of politicians with impunity whilst in office. If care is not taken, naivety and ineptitude will make some African nations miss the finesse of Democratic practice. The tag "THEM and US" must be exorcized completely from our domain. A word to the wise is enough.

BY: SAMMY LADZEKPO, FREELANCE JOURNALIST KASOA, CENTRAL REGION 0579150322/0208835441.

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