Why democracy will never succeed in Africa

Case study: Nigeria

David O.

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Photo by Dami Akinbode on Unsplash

I decided not to go up close and personal in articles I wrote previously concerning Africa. But this time, I have chosen to be more direct and factual. The world is looking for answers, but the answers are not hard to get if we look sincerely. Democracy will never succeed in Africa, at least not the kind of democracy they are operating presently. This article is to show you why. I may not be able to speak directly for every African country, but I can speak for one: Nigeria.

It’s a shame the only thing the outside world knows about Nigeria is Boko Haram, Crude oil, kidnapped girls, corruption in governance and maybe now the world cup kit of the country’s national team. The first time I saw a place in Nigeria portrayed in an Hollywood movie, I understood better how the country is seen from the outside. The setup used for the place looked nothing like how the place really is. That changed my orientation about other cities I have known through movies. Nigeria has over 200 ethnic groups. Do you know what that’s like? Over 200 indigenous languages? A friend told me of a community in the country where the language the women speak is different from the language the men speak. The country was never one nation, yet it is recited in the anthem. Maybe instead of trying to form unity, they should have embraced the diversity.

The problem has a deep root. In 1914, an amalgamation took place that joined the northern part of the country to the southern part of the country. Why did they do that? Well, I don’t know if the British made any record. The divergence between the northern part and the southern part is so much that one wonders what must have been on the minds of those who joined them together. The British managed the country fairly well and handed them independence in 1960 on a platter of gold. There was no fight, no unrest, just a couple of meetings and discussions. Everybody was getting independence and Nigeria mustn’t miss her moment. Now the years have come and gone, (and looking back) the country shouldn’t have been given independence, they should have taken it.

In 2019, the country is going to have the general elections. As things stand, the country seems to be stuck with the incumbent administration for the foreseeable future. Not because the…

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David O.

Over 100,000 people have found my articles enlightening and inspiring. Bestselling Author. Business consultant