Zapadnaya Afrika: evolyuciya institutov tradicionnoj vlasti

Abstract

Histories of the countries of West Africa and their peoples are very diverse, yet in terms of political traditions, these states share more similarities than differences. Among the factors permitting us to make this claim is the viability of the institution of chieftaincy, i.e., the preservation by traditional leaders of power and influence on the economic and socio -political development of local communities, regions and even nations. The present paper is dedicated to the institution of chieftaincy in West Africa, particularly in Ghana, where this institution has significantly evolved over the past hundred years amid the struggle for survival, power and control over local resources. Existing research on this subject is primarily concerned with the role of African traditional institutions during the pre colonial and colonial periods. This paper attempts to fill this gap and consider the evolution of the institution of chieftaincy until the present time.