Abstract
In post-colonial Africa, political rulers aimed at achieving national integration, unity and development for their peoples. Yet, the experience, several years after the independence, is at the same time bitter and thought-provoking. Nationalism has failed to be the real finality of political power in most African countries and Democracy itself has still been in the making so much so that African states have the unfortunate reputation of being bad learners from the Western democratic experience. The African experience is that of the persistence of tribal, ethnic or clanic-based considerations over the national interest. This paper aims at rethinking democracy in Africa in view of suggesting a new form of Democracy that is compatible with the traditional organisation of our peoples. Only such a model of government will lead our nations towards Good Governance. Often decried as being outdated and for discriminating against women, traditional chieftaincy still plays a major role in Africa. Because of their proximity to the population, traditional leaders have a strong impact on social cohesion, particularly through traditional mediation. Drawing on the state of governance in Africa, this paper argues that traditional chieftaincy needs to be reinstated and that institutions in Africa need to be reinvented in such a way as to integrate tradition, which is a fertile foundation for peace.
Highlights
More than sixty after their independences, most African countries have sought to establish political systems inspired by the Western model of Democracy
At the end of this reflection which aimed atconciliating, in one way or the other, African democracy with its cultural practices, we can say that politics deals with the better organisation of people lives
In order to achieve good governance, it is possible to root African Democracy on African cultural practices relating to power management
Summary
More than sixty after their independences, most African countries have sought to establish political systems inspired by the Western model of Democracy. As a matter of facts, democracy in Africa, when considered with the Western lenses, appears as a failure with the lack of alternation, the handing-over of power from father to son (Gabon, Togo, Congo DR and recently, Chad), mismanagement of public wealth, Human Rights abuses, etc As it is observed, the international community, which was originally permissive on the political management of states, has made democratic legitimacy a condition for the recognition of governments. Policies resulting from an alienated and alienating consciousness in contemporary Africa, in the face of the evolution of a world made up of upheavals of all kinds and radical questioning These “ready-made” policies are invested with a powerful tendency to slavish imitation, through the reproduction of consumer habits, thought patterns, the imperialism of exogenous knowledge and research tools not adapted to the African environment. What is the ontology, i.e. the true-being of politics in traditional Africa? To what extent can development and the solutions that flow from development policies be adapted to the African physical, sociological and political environment? In other words, is the creation of an eclectic model of the political not feasible in the updating of the African continent, which is already behind in several necessary adaptations?
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