By Euclid Myke, Abuja
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has argued that what is commonly referred to as democracy has primarily benefited a small group of powerful elites, while leaving the majority of the population marginalized.
He stressed democracy is not only failing but dying, adding that if Africa is going to make democracy not to die, then it has to look at democracy in the context and content of Africa.
In his contribution at a colloquium organized to celebrate the 60th birthday of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Emeka Ihedioha, at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel yesterday, the former President said that democracy has completely failed in Africa.
According to him, “Democracy is meant to be a system of government that delivers and delivers to all the people, not just a section of the people, not just a few but what do we have today? I believe since we’ve gone past the Greek democracy which brought everybody to the square and everybody has a say in the decision making which affected everybody, democracy has now become representative democracy and representative democracy has not taken care of everybody.
“Now, that is not democracy that will endure: so if you are talking of democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed and why has it failed?
“It’s because it does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe: what sort of democracy brings you and you grab everything illegally, corruptly, and you say go to court? Even in the court, you cannot get justice.”
He called for a model that will “integrate Africa’s cultural and historical context towards creating a system of governance that truly delivers for all.
“But the sort of democracy we have is one that will make you to grab everything and then illegally, corruptly and you say ‘go to court’ when you know that even in the court, you cannot get justice.
“It is not that democracy is failing, democracy is dying and if we are going to make democracy not to die, we have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa: I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa.”
But the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioces, Bishop Hassan Kukah, who expressed a different view, argued that “democracy is work in progress; democracy gives you the opportunity to try and if you fail, it gives you greater opportunity to correct former mistakes”.
Kukah further explained that democracy provides the opportunity to rectify mistakes made in the past.
”Democracy is for the good of the people, as it has helped to destroy feudal system of government”.
The Catholic Bishop emphasized the need for all to try understand the political theory of English philosopher, John Locke which was founded upon the principle of social contract.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, expressed that democracy is not failing in Africa, as it is an ongoing process.
”When we play by the rules, democracy works: democracy is work in progress.”
Speaking on the Senate resolution on state of emergency in Rivers State, Senator Tambuwwal maintained his position that the required two-thirds majority of the Senate was not met.
”Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, when state of emergency was declared for some states, the National Assembly did the necessary affirmation of the processes with the required two-third majority, with individual members voting to affirm the process.”
The former Secretary General of the Commonwealth raised alarm over resurgence of military coups in Africa which he noted should be a cause for worry for all supporters of democracy.
Former Vice President Atiku described the celebrant, Honourable Ihedioha as a focused and determined politician.
“Emeka and I have kept this relationship and till today I have found him extremely loyal, dedicated and focused even though sometimes we found ourselves on different political divides but we kept our relationship and I think that testifies with the kind of person Emeka is.
“When he told me about this event I was almost complaining, I said ‘Emeka, this is Ramadan, we are in the last ten days of Ramadan during which we don’t sleep in the night; we sleep during the day but he said, ‘But oga try and make it,’ and I said, ‘Ok I will make it,’ Here we are today.”
