A CRITIQUE OF DEMOCRACY AND THE ETHICS OF GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA

Abstract

Democracy in Africa has become traumatizing experience due to the evils of corruption, selfish aggrandizement of African political leaders and the twisted usage of the common good as the ingredient of good democratic experience. The ethics of governance in Africa has been in a state of shamble. This paper adopts the method of analysis in explaining the nature of democracy in Africa and its paradoxical implication to the peoples of Africa. Many scholars such as Plato, Rousseau, Schumpeter, Burke Mill and Dahl have criticized the notion of democracy as an ideal form of a system of government for the people. This paper, therefore, concludes that democracy and its ethical principle ought to be more realistic and should be fundamentally inspired by providing the legitimizing foundation of the common good as its common denominator in a real world situation. The sustainability of constitutional democracy in Nigeria and Africa at large solely depends on providing effective and purposeful leadership for the people of Africa. Africa is in dire need of purposeful leadership that is people-driven based on accountability or stewardship and transparency.