A mere fact that a leader who lost a second term election and could not in fact fulfil most of the promises of the first term is the one being deconstructed as a Person of the Year in a region that parades giants including the most populous and richest country is a strong indication that indeed democracy is losing steam in Africa, which Duncan Clarke describes derogatorily as a “crude continent”.
Doubtless, Africa is acutely affected by the ongoing global democratic recession. In 2020, a military coup took place in Mali. In 2021, four African countries – Chad, Mali, Guinea, and Sudan – experienced military takeovers. Thus far, in 2022, two coups occurred in Burkina Faso and an attempted one in Guinea Bissau. Yet polling data and activism on the ground shows African youth believe in and are prepared to fight for democracy.
According to V-Dem, a research institute that monitors democratic retrenchment, more democracies have been backsliding, even reverting to autocracy since 2006. Democratic norms are under duress around the world, from Sri Lanka, where protesters stormed the presidential palace and drove out President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, (who promptly appointed an ally as a replacement), to Hungary where Viktor Orban proudly states that he is building an “illiberal state,” to the United States, where protesters overran Capitol Hill, attempting to disrupt the transfer of power.
Yet, some development experts are dismissing pessimistic views and insisting on the nexus between democracy and development. The people are saying that democracy and development are indivisible. They claim that democratic government represents the interests of the general population and not just an elite. They are insisting that the bout of stability that authoritarians can bring must be viewed skeptically, given the superior global economic performance and stability of democratic governments over the long term.
There are challenges and opportunities in democracies. This is where the trouble is in parts of Africa where coup plotters are justifying scathing attacks on democracies. Coup leaders are claiming that electoral processes have been fraudulent and so mandates therefrom cannot deliver sustainable development goals to the people. What is more embarrassing, even the tiger in West Africa, self-styled giant of Africa, Nigeria, appears to have lost its tigritude to electoral impurities that dotted the 2023 general elections. Even coup plotters hauled some unguarded missiles at the economic giant in West Africa when its leader tried to intervene in the restoration of democracy.
That is why it is a paradox of political development in the West Coast that an iconic footballer, George Weah, who could not deliver on his electoral promises to the people of Liberia is being hailed as a hero of democracy just because he allowed electoral fidelity that prevented him from enjoying a second term in office.
Yes, this newspaper looked through the seeds of democratic times in the West Coast of Africa and found power in the attitude of the outgoing Liberian leader, who has attempted to deepen democratic ideals that Mo Ibrahim, an African entrepreneur, has been trying to promote through annual Leadership Prizes for good governance, democratic election and respect for terms limits. Since its inception, the Prize has been awarded seven times. It has often not been offered, with no leader being found worthy of the award in a given year.
The prize isn’t the attraction but the significance of the action of the young leader who told the people of Liberia the other day after losing election narrowly to the opposition: ‘…Tonight the CDC has lost the election, but Liberia has won. This is a time for graciousness in defeat, a time to place our country above party, and patriotism above personal interest…
And so for demonstrating to the people of Africa that democracy can be made safe too through strength of character of leaders, for showing that he has no selfish ends to serve other than public interest; for exemplifying that the peace of democracy must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty; for accepting responsibility for his personal and political party failure; for demonstrating that electoral justice system through the courts cannot be superior to the sovereign will of the people through the ballot, George Weah is The Guardian’s 2023 ‘Man of The Year’.
The remarkable story of majesty and march of democracy in Liberia and indeed Africa is told on pages 3, 4 & 5 by two young intellectuals in the newsroom, Femi Adekoya, PhD, Wole Oyebade, PhD, who are also members of the Editorial Board.
MARTINS OLOJA
MD/Editor-in-Chief
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