Democracy in Postcolonial Africa: Imitation, Adaptation and Re-Creation

In post-colonial Africa, political rulers aimed at achieving national integration, unity and development for their peoples. Yet, the experience, several years after the independence, is at the same time bitter and thought-provoking. Nationalism has failed to be the real finality of political power in most African countries and Democracy itself has still been in the making so much so that African states have the unfortunate reputation of being bad learners from the Western democratic experience. The African experience is that of the persistence of tribal, ethnic or clanic-based considerations over the national interest. This paper aims at rethinking democracy in Africa in view of suggesting a new form of Democracy that is compatible with the traditional organisation of our peoples. Only such a model of government will lead our nations towards Good Governance. Often decried as being outdated and for discriminating against women, traditional chieftaincy still plays a major role in Africa. Because of their proximity to the population, traditional leaders have a strong impact on social cohesion, particularly through traditional mediation. Drawing on the state of governance in Africa, this paper argues that traditional chieftaincy needs to be reinstated and that institutions in Africa need to be reinvented in such a way as to integrate tradition, which is a fertile foundation for peace.