Former president says Nigeria’s democracy lacks African context and content, urges reforms that reflect the continent’s history, culture and values.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised the model of democracy practised across much of Africa, arguing that it lacks African context and content and has encouraged a winner-takes-all political culture.
Obasanjo spoke on Tuesday at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, where he argued that the Western liberal democracy inherited by many African countries was not designed around the continent’s realities.
He likened the system to wearing a dress that was not made to fit, saying it had produced a political environment where election winners often disregard their opponents.
“The democracy we practice has no African context, no African content. If you try to use what is not meant for you to serve your purpose, it is like a dress for which you are not measured,” Obasanjo said.
He also criticised the concept of “loyal opposition”, arguing that the meaning of opposition in many African languages is closer to “enemy”, making the idea of a loyal political opponent difficult to sustain.
According to him, the system has encouraged a “winner takes all” approach, where winning an election by a single vote gives the victor control while the interests of those who lost are largely ignored.
Obasanjo also warned against poor management of Nigeria’s diversity, stressing that the country’s strength and identity were rooted in its different ethnic, cultural and religious groups.
“Nigeria is what it is because of our diversity. Remove diversity out of Nigeria, you will probably have Republic of Oduduwa or Republic of Danfodio. That will not be Nigeria,” he said.
The former president further condemned the growing influence of money and inducements in Nigerian politics, saying the trend had increased significantly.
He also lamented the lack of female representation in political leadership, noting that Nigeria had not elected a female governor throughout the more than 24 years of the Fourth Republic.
Obasanjo said Nigeria should develop a democratic system that reflects its history, culture and values instead of merely adopting political structures from Western countries.
He stressed that democracy should be viewed as a continuous process requiring constant review and adaptation.
“Call it what you like, just make sure it has history, culture and values that are African. You can call it democracy if you like, you can call it African democracy,” he said.
The dialogue was chaired by Obasanjo and attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Namadi Sambo.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed hosted the event, which also attracted constitutional experts and civil society representatives from across Africa.