INSECURITY AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: A PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION

Abstract

There are great insurgencies, uprisings, revolutions, kidnapping, terrorism, economic and political instabilities in Africa. These problems were caused by exclusive types of governments that are not people centered, governments that failed to involve the people in the process of governance and failed to protect the basic rights of people. This research examines the reasons for the occurrence of terrorism in Africa. Terrorism is a concept that connotes threat and a tendency to create fear and chaos. However, the causes and effects of terrorism are more worrisome when juxtaposed with the principles and values of democracy. Hence, one is tempted to believe that democracy occasions terrorism or it has failed to discourage the acts of terrorism because terrorism is mostly witnessed in democratic countries. The likely questions bothering us now are why and how do democracy give room for terrorism, if democracy is supposedly based on respect for human dignity, freedom, tolerance and dialogue. In view of this, this paper employs analytical method of philosophy so as to proffer solution to the democratic and security problem in Africa. This paper adopts a pragmatic and committed social policies and welfare for human development in solving insecurity problem.