Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed the view that Western Liberal Democracy, imposed on Africa, does not effectively meet the needs of its people.
During a keynote address at a high-level consultation on "Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy for Africa" in Abeokuta, Ogun state, the former military General argued that the Western democratic model has faltered in Africa due to its failure to consider the perspectives of the majority.
Obasanjo criticized Western Liberal Democracy as a system that empowers a select few to govern the entire population, emphasizing that these few representatives do not fully encompass the diverse voices of the people.
He called for the adoption of what he terms "Afro democracy" as a substitute for the Western model.
According to him, African countries should not adhere to a system of government in which they had no role in defining and designing.
Highlighting the weaknesses and failures of liberal democracy in practice, Obasanjo questioned whether the minority should be ignored or excluded in a system that defines itself as the rule of the majority.
He urged a critical examination of the performance of democracy in the West, emphasizing the need for reform.
Obasanjo advocated for a shift in perspective, encouraging leaders to consider their country's culture, tradition, and experiences to develop a new and effective system of government.
He called for a departure from the current system, which, despite its inadequacies, continues to be followed without significant change.
The former president invited leaders from academia and politics to engage in a thoughtful exploration of liberal democracy's shortcomings in order to propose ideas and recommendations that better align with the needs and experiences of African societies.
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