Obasanjo: Africa’s Democracy Is Borrowed, It Has Caged Us

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern about the state of democracy in Nigeria and other African countries, saying the system being practised on the continent has failed to fully address the needs of its people.

Obasanjo made the remarks while speaking at the 2026 Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Bauchi State.

The former president said African countries adopted the Western model of liberal democracy after colonial rule instead of developing a system that reflects their own history, culture and political realities.

He said his concern about democracy had grown over the years because of what he described as its poor performance in Africa and other parts of the world.

Obasanjo noted that the idea of democracy was not the same across all countries, pointing out that nations such as China and Switzerland have different systems of governance.

According to him, the form of liberal democracy widely practised in Europe, the Americas, parts of Asia, Australia and Africa should not be treated as the only form of democracy.

He questioned whether Africa had been able to develop a democratic system of its own, arguing that the continent had largely adopted a political structure introduced by its former colonial rulers.

The former president said the continued problems facing democratic governance should encourage African leaders and citizens to examine whether the current system is delivering the kind of government they need.

His comments came during a gathering focused on the future of democracy and governance, with political leaders, former public officials and other stakeholders discussing challenges facing democratic systems.

Obasanjo also linked his concerns to previous discussions by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation on the condition of democracy, noting that the foundation had earlier raised questions about the survival and effectiveness of democratic governance.

He called for a deeper conversation about how democracy should work in Africa and whether the current model can provide better leadership, representation and development for citizens.