Weak governance is emblematic of a larger problem in the postcolonial Africa socio-political architecture; there is a destabilising political meddling of former colonial masters on one end and the exclusionary politics that sidelines the public from active engagement in politics to maintain presence in addressing internally enabled structural weaknesses on the other. Arguably, the major contributory factor to political weakness in the continent is public inclination to not only hero-worship leaders but to extend that and allow a cult of personality to operate unchecked.
A cult of personality is understood as the exaltation of an individual’s authority through the creation, projection and spread of a godlike image paralleling religious worship (Pisch, 2016: 53–54). In politics, it refers to a situation where a party’s brand, achievements, successes are intrinsically linked to their leader and the individual is idolised as a result. This becomes dangerous when leaders with strong, domineering personalities try to side-step checks and balances within the system thereby jeopardising the democratic aspirations in the continent.
There is a cult of ignorance in Africa whose foundation can be rightly laid on the feet of the colonial rule and it is responsible for a real cultural disconnect that relegates traditional norms and values to a status of inferiority; this is a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that everything Western is superior; a Western-style academic education represents superior wisdom, knowledge, and competence in the colonial master’s language is the main, if not only valid, measure of intelligence.
Adopting such a deficient and restrictive descriptor of intelligence represents a dangerous stance guilty of protecting mediocrity as it has consistently ensured that views of academically educated individuals are disproportionately elevated, respected, and therefore broadly accepted without questioning by the ‘less’ educated members of society.
The impact of placing disproportionate value on academic education and the colonial master’s language over other forms of learning and local languages narrows down the scope of leadership candidates, acceptable knowledge, and the imposed primary official language of communication thus, sidelines many members of society from actively participating in the decision-making process in critical areas of governance.
Colonial damage to the socio-cultural architecture resulted in a contrived social environment ripe for a cult of personality to thrive in Africa because societies became accustomed to a tampered and diluted traditional leadership. The colonial government took deliberate actions to undermine traditional leadership only to incorporate it as an extension of the colonial leadership.
What we witness today is a weakened traditional leadership authority acting in tandem with the Westernised State form to represent politicians’ interests in communities instead of representing community interests to governments. We are also seeing the rise of charismatic nationalist figures along with little public involvement in decision-making processes.
At national level there are significant changes to the socio-political architecture, we are confronted by a certain type of leader, a charismatic leader who ‘knows it all’ and does not expect to be contradicted and public inquiry is a privilege, not a right.
The situation results in an electorate with lesser appreciation of its political role, increased vulnerability, and an electorate that readily places their faith in “great men” with absolute power, resolving acute social and economic problems.
On the broader scheme, dictatorship has been nothing short of a disaster to Africa and Africans’ aspirations; we believe on the balance of probabilities, democracy is a better system, and we therefore must demand of ourselves as society and need, for leaders, individuals who demonstrate a deep understanding of national values and interests, can effectively advocate for them, and maintain a reputation for integrity that instils democratic values.
Understandably, democracy is imperfect, but it is the only system that can best cope with the rapidly changing demands of modern times; only a democratic environment can cultivate a healthy debate and existence of adversaries, encourage freedom of opinion and dissent.
We need more and not less of the spirit of inquiry in society; leaders must expect to be contradicted and society must reject dogma for democratic conditions to grow and flourish.
Cult figures and autocratic vultures that dominate the African continent’s political space today feed from African citizens, and the only way to ensure their collapse is for citizens to withdraw the feeding trough; the public must stop hero-worshipping, stop surrendering their power, without safeguards, to individuals. Even more important, the public needs to participate in the democratic process; it is poignant for civil society and supporters to actively engage in the political process for checks and balances in the system. They must pay serious attention to policies and issues, and not just rely on the hype surrounding leaders.
MTHWAKAZI INDEPENDENT 