My ideal African democracy.

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leslie peterparker pexez 12 years ago

Beautiful article. I especially loved the part abt the neutral parliament. I believe that is the most important part of this article. God bless u man.

Beautiful article. I especially loved the part abt the neutral parliament. I believe that is the most important part of this article. God bless u man.
Pelicles 12 years ago

Look, there is nothing wrong with the system that we currently have. The problem is the people who will make the system work better. The nations you mentioned in your article, are humans like us so, the question is why can't ...
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Look, there is nothing wrong with the system that we currently have. The problem is the people who will make the system work better. The nations you mentioned in your article, are humans like us so, the question is why can't we do likewise them?

Now, if you are hired to work in a company, you are giving the company's code of conduct that is the "Dos and Don't". Now, if you allowed foolish to over take your sense of thinking and embark of going against the rules of the company, what will happen?

No matter what system we adopt, it is the people in that system that will ensure its smooth operation but what if..

Are we honest? Do we respect the rule of law? We should remember that "Democracy" rests of "TRUTH AND THE RULE OF LAW". People in the western nation are humans like us but the differences between them and us is quite obvious. While we love and adore dishonesty and disrespect the rule of law, they rather love honesty and the rule of law. We may debate, write pages of whatever but in the end, it boils to TRUTH AND THE RULE OF LAW.

Who are the people who will put structures in place to implement the system you are envisaging? Isn't it the same Ghanaians who are not truthful and do not respect the rule of law? So, why do you think the new system will work with the very people with stinking mentality? The answer is a big NO.

I live in the US and at times if you are living a lavish lifestyle, the authorities can investigate to find out why and if they see that you are living beyond your income, you will be arrested, questioned to explain how you came by the extra income. Can we do that in Ghana?

In Ghana a common store keep of a hospital can put a story building and it is okay. No one will question how he/she was able to do that.

No nation that fringes on TRUTH AND THE RULE OF LAW will ever develop. Never and I will throw a challenge to anyone to dispute that.

Do you remember Richard Nixon and Watergate scandal? That led to his impeachment and will any of our presidents or, any leader in Africa be charged and impeached for coming up with such scandalous act? No and never. So, let's be truthful and allow the law of the land to crack its long whip. That is the end of my comment.
Joel Ayim Darkwah 12 years ago

Nice comment der. I agree with ur opinion. Our systens willl surely work with honest people as u said. This is my ideal structure that I belive would have ensured more accountability and place much authority in the hands of ...
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Nice comment der. I agree with ur opinion. Our systens willl surely work with honest people as u said. This is my ideal structure that I belive would have ensured more accountability and place much authority in the hands of the people, not politicians.
IDRIS PACAS 12 years ago

The ethnic diversities in many African countries typically make it difficult if not impossible to formulate systems of governance based on them. Nonetheless, if we'd started on that note, by now, we would have been better of ...
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The ethnic diversities in many African countries typically make it difficult if not impossible to formulate systems of governance based on them. Nonetheless, if we'd started on that note, by now, we would have been better of. Now, it's too late. We are to blame both the ruled (80 %) and the rulers (10 %). The remaining is the colonial attitude that they (the colonialists)left permanently in our mindset. That we're only successful when we live like them.
Humanity 12 years ago

Mr. Pelicles, i have nothing to add to your comments. You hit the nail at the head. Praise also be to the writer who dare to write this article for deliberation and discussion.

Hopefully, this article will contribute to ou ...
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Mr. Pelicles, i have nothing to add to your comments. You hit the nail at the head. Praise also be to the writer who dare to write this article for deliberation and discussion.

Hopefully, this article will contribute to our young democratic dispensation in Ghana and Africa.

As Africans we need to change our mentality towards ruling or governing our country. In western countries the politicians enter in to politics base on idealism to serve their countries alturistically to build up a C.V so that when they leave politics they could join a commercial entities to be rich.

Unlike African politician's, they join politics to become rich. With this mentality, they will egoistically do anytihng possible to become rich, while they know poltics is not a commercial entity. By turning poltics to be a commercial entity they looted all the money which belong to destitute people.

So, if we want to change the way we are doing or running politics in Ghana and Africa, we have to change our mentality.
mohammed 12 years ago

Where do u have this system you portrayed? at least Martin Amidu is honest. There may be others like him.

Where do u have this system you portrayed? at least Martin Amidu is honest. There may be others like him.
Joel Ayim Darkwah 12 years ago

This system is not applied anywhere Mohammed. it is an imagined idea. I wish u could imagine how our nations will be if it was real.

This system is not applied anywhere Mohammed. it is an imagined idea. I wish u could imagine how our nations will be if it was real.
John Daniels 12 years ago

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana ...
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Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana/Africa?
To answer this question how about find out one example of something that actually works and see if you can compare them to what does not work.
Let's even make it simple: Why is a private primary school better run than a public school? The problem is to start with massive civic education and cultural orientation. If people do not know ehy they are doing something or how to do it then why do you think it will work out well?
Here is a puzzle for you: how many American business men do you think it will take to run VRA/ECG successfully? think the N2 highway..
John Daniels 12 years ago

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana ...
read full comment

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana/Africa?
To answer this question how about find out one example of something that actually works and see if you can compare them to what does not work.
Let's even make it simple: Why is a private primary school better run than a public school? The problem is to start with massive civic education and cultural orientation. If people do not know ehy they are doing something or how to do it then why do you think it will work out well?
Here is a puzzle for you: how many American business men do you think it will take to run VRA/ECG successfully? think the N2 highway..
John Daniels 12 years ago

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana ...
read full comment

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana/Africa?
To answer this question how about find out one example of something that actually works and see if you can compare them to what does not work.
Let's even make it simple: Why is a private primary school better run than a public school? The problem is to start with massive civic education and cultural orientation. If people do not know ehy they are doing something or how to do it then why do you think it will work out well?
Here is a puzzle for you: how many American business men do you think it will take to run VRA/ECG successfully? think the N2 highway..

John Daniels 12 years ago

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana ...
read full comment

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana/Africa?
To answer this question how about find out one example of something that actually works and see if you can compare them to what does not work.
Let's even make it simple: Why is a private primary school better run than a public school? The problem is to start with massive civic education and cultural orientation. If people do not know ehy they are doing something or how to do it then why do you think it will work out well?
Here is a puzzle for you: how many American business men do you think it will take to run VRA/ECG successfully? think the N2 highway..
John Daniels 12 years ago

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana ...
read full comment

Great article but you made it too complicated. Remember when dealing with human institutions, no matter what you call them, still will require the PEOPLE themselves to make it work. Why do you think it is not working in Ghana/Africa?
To answer this question how about find out one example of something that actually works and see if you can compare them to what does not work.
Let's even make it simple: Why is a private primary school better run than a public school? The problem is to start with massive civic education and cultural orientation. If people do not know ehy they are doing something or how to do it then why do you think it will work out well?
Here is a puzzle for you: how many American business men do you think it will take to run VRA/ECG successfully? think the N2 highway..
Komi bondu 12 years ago

This has always been my argument.Problem with Africa is we do not have original thinkers . We always rush to borrow 'solutions' to any problems from the west without critically analyzing how they fit our peculiar situations. ...
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This has always been my argument.Problem with Africa is we do not have original thinkers . We always rush to borrow 'solutions' to any problems from the west without critically analyzing how they fit our peculiar situations. I guess our education takes a substantial share of the blame. We are essentially groomed to regurgitate as against being effective problems solvers. I have always felt that whoever put our current constitution together did a very lazy job because they did not give due regard to what kind of people it is intended to serve. It was the usual 'uncritical borrowing' to quote Marc Antoine.
kwame bonsu 12 years ago

well said,hope our leaders and party followers read this kinds of articles.

well said,hope our leaders and party followers read this kinds of articles.
Dr Robert K Glah 12 years ago

Political system is good but bad people.
The people lack moral behaviour and courage to do good.

Political system is good but bad people.
The people lack moral behaviour and courage to do good.
Private Eye 12 years ago

This a childish wish that many of us have argued about since high school. There is nothing like "selfless african intellectual". The traditional african family culture which should form the basis for what you are dreaming ab ...
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This a childish wish that many of us have argued about since high school. There is nothing like "selfless african intellectual". The traditional african family culture which should form the basis for what you are dreaming about is despotic, tribalistic, intolerant and retards the progress of women and children. The current dilemma of Ghanaian (african) scholars(and please stop calling them intellectuals) is their inability to "think" and "adapt" the western style education they have received to their environments. When President Mills can appoint an individual with a suspended degree straight out of college to a cabinet-level position, ignoring career qualified civil servants; or President Mahamah can openly violate the country's laws by encouraging people to vote without verification or V.P Amissah can comment on 9-0 victory after admonition from the Supreme court, you don't expect much progress can be made. Let's face it - the 5-year reign of Mills-Mahama-Amissah has been a monumental failure in terms of rousing tribal sentiments, lawlessness, verbal insults etc. let alone, economic failure. Mills' idea of Christianity is "see evil" but "say no evil". That is the problem we face, NOT Western education which has been adopted with amazing degree of success by countries like Malaysia. And let me remind readers that after independence, Ghana was sending teachers to Malaysia.
Nana Bawuah 12 years ago

"The traditional african family culture which should form the basis for what you are dreaming about is despotic, tribalistic, intolerant and retards the progress of women and children."

If you don`t know anything about Afr ...
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"The traditional african family culture which should form the basis for what you are dreaming about is despotic, tribalistic, intolerant and retards the progress of women and children."

If you don`t know anything about African culture in general and Akan culture in particular, then just keep quiet!
Nana Bawuah 12 years ago

Democracy had existed in Africa for aeons before the coming of the Europeans. We had our own system of governance which gave everybody the chance to air their views, people would call their own witnesses in judicial matters, ...
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Democracy had existed in Africa for aeons before the coming of the Europeans. We had our own system of governance which gave everybody the chance to air their views, people would call their own witnesses in judicial matters, we had our own systems of administration at the community and nation-state level, everywhere!

How do you learn something from your student when you taught him the same thing that he is supposed to be teaching you today?That is a fallacy, and Africans are to blame for it; because we have not been able to assert our authority and civilisation for people to appreciate that we knew democracy before the advent of Western democracy. Because if we are able to assert ourselves with our own identity as Africans, to tell people that this is our way of life, this is how we live, this is the way we do things, this is our type of civilisation, they wouldn't be making such confused statements.

who decides who should stay for four years or five years? Is it Western democracy that decides for us? Is it the people of Ghana and Africa who are saying four years or five years is enough for our government?

We, Africans, had our own system called arbitration.Our customary system is arbitration. All that they are doing is refusing to accept that, as Africans, we had an arbitration system here that served, and still serves, us so well from time immemorial.

Looking at social formation and organisation, it appears that our so-called illiterate ancestors were far more advanced than our current generation, which prides itself on having gone through degrees of Western education!

Traditional institutions roots are ancient, they are a repository of the history and the collective experience of a people. The history and the experience are the foundations on which solid modern institutions are built. Nothing emanates from a
vacuum. Modern political ideas of democracy in Europe emanated from traditional European institutions with their systems of thought, organization and belief.

Our post-colonial leaders did not seem to understand this fact. They adopted colonial institutions wholesale without respect for the fact that the traditional institutions had alternative approaches to governance. These alternative approaches could form an intellectual reference point for the transition to new systems. These institutions represented an indigenous evolution of systems of governance which people related to socially, emotionally and intellectually. They were legitimate by virtue of history, experience and of the fact that they were indigenously conceived and had a force of the wisdom of the people.Traditional institutions had authority and legitimacy that post-colonial African governments are yet to attain.

The problem for post-colonial African governments seeking to attain legitimacy is that, the institutions they are basing their authority on are foreign. Secondly, since there were, and is, a multitude of traditional institutions with legitimacy and authority among the different ethnic communities in any given nation, it’s not efficient nor desirable, to
have one uniform, blanket administrative approach in all regions. This argument necessarily leads to a federal arrangement that allows local government units flexibility in their political and administrative arrangements. Something already our so called ancestors realized and were able to solve.

It is no wonder then that most African constitutions are not quite worth the paper they are
written on. Most start with an underlying premise that the people’s indigenous traditions, including their wisdom in matters of local governance, are best suppressed in favor of poorly understood foreign models.

The destruction of the Africans’ adaptive capacity left them less able to distinguish bad and corrupt, colonial administrative practices from the good ones. And since the destruction was largely premised on an assumption that nothing in African traditional institutions had redeemable value, the colonial models of governance became the de facto
standards. Unfortunately, colonial governments, concerned as they were with subjugating ‘natives’ through repressive laws and practices, were not good models to follow.

The colonial government derived its legitimacy, not from the governed, but from the colonial metropolis.The colonial system of government created a distance between the government
and the governed and that same pattern of governing seems to have been followed by postcolonial African governments.
Michael Owusu 12 years ago

africa will survive. Yes. We just have to renew our thinking. I like this write up.

africa will survive. Yes. We just have to renew our thinking. I like this write up.
Simon Delali 12 years ago

interesting piece. my problem is this: how & where do we find such selfless & dedicated people from, and also will the existing structures give way for such schemes if they perceive it will be detrimental to their quest for p ...
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interesting piece. my problem is this: how & where do we find such selfless & dedicated people from, and also will the existing structures give way for such schemes if they perceive it will be detrimental to their quest for power & authority?

ZAKARIAH ADAMS KAGBANYE MUMUNI 12 years ago

FOR ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR DEMOCRACY BUT RATHER THERE IS EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THE STYLE OF LEADERSHIP AND FOR THAT MATTER OUR LEADERS IN THE COUNTRY.

FOR ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR DEMOCRACY BUT RATHER THERE IS EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THE STYLE OF LEADERSHIP AND FOR THAT MATTER OUR LEADERS IN THE COUNTRY.
tatagunn 12 years ago

well done Joel.

well done Joel.

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My ideal African democracy.

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