DEMOCRATIC BREAKDOWN IN WEST AFRICA: AN INTERROGATION

Abstract

Across the world, democracy either liberal (mostly in global north) or procedural (mostly in global south) has endured more than any other form of government. Aside the fact that in most countries in the global south democracy is at best procedural is also to understand that the global south especially the African continent has experienced more military coups than any other continent in the world. However, in the early 1990s and beyond after years of military rule countries in the West African region transit from military authoritarian regimes to democracy with the conduct of regular elections and the change from one government to another. Unfortunately, instead of making progress, democracy in the region got to a halt for almost two decades. Thus, West Africans become disillusioned with democracy. From this worrying failure of democracy in West Africa is the emergence of military coups in Mali in 2020, Guinea 2021, Burkina Faso 2022 and failed attempts in Niger and Guinea Bissau. Going by this, it is pertinent to understand why countries in the region which have once witnessed some level of democracy are gradually reversing to military rules. A better understanding of these reasons is necessary in order to address the challenges posed by the unexpected military take-over of government and the breakdown of democracy in West Africa, given the fact that there is no other better alternative to democracy across the world at least at the moment.