The founder of the Centre for Alternative Politics & Security West Africa (CAPS-WA), Dr Muhammad Dan Suleiman has issued a dire warning on the precarious state of democracy in West Africa citing rising instability, insurgencies, and governance issues.

Speaking at the "Citizenship for Peace and Security" forum in Accra, Dr Suleiman noted that between 2009 and 2020, Boko Haram and its affiliates caused over 35,000 deaths, with the Sahel region accounting for 43% of global terrorism deaths in 2022.

The region has seen a surge in military coups, with Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger experiencing recent takeovers. Despite these challenges, Dr Suleiman stressed that democracy in West Africa is not defunct, pointing to success stories in Ghana and Senegal.

Dr Suleiman identified key challenges facing West African democracy, including structural, political, security, and external factors. He emphasized the need for inclusive governance, active participation of women and youth, and revival of traditional governance systems.

Ghana's Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Mustapha Ussif, and Deputy Minister of the Interior, Hon. Naana Eyiah, attended the forum, which aimed to promote peace and security in West Africa.
The event comes ahead of Ghana's 2024 elections, which are seen as a critical test for democracy in the region.
Over the past decade, the region has been plagued by increasing political instability, insurgencies, and governance issues. Drawing on data from the United Nations, he revealed that between 2009 and 2020, Boko Haram and its affiliates, for instance, caused the deaths of over 35,000 people, with the Sahel region alone accounting for 43% of global terrorism deaths in 2022.

He also noted the concerning rise of military coups, particularly in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger. This proliferation of undemocratic takeovers has eroded the people's trust in their governments, further compounding governance issues in the region. Quoting Wangari Maathai's 2009 remark that "African peoples have trusted their leaders, but only very few of those leaders have honoured that trust," he emphasised the widening gap between the people and their leaders.

However, Dr Dan Suleiman urged against the "proclamation of the end of democracy" in West Africa. He acknowledged the existence of some democratic stories, including in Ghana and Senegal, which give some hope in the region. While West Africa’s democracy is fragile, he asserted that it is far from defunct, with numerous opportunities for renewal and reform.

Central to his address were the challenges that confront democracy in the region. He categorised these into structural, political, security, and external challenges. Structurally, economic disparities, educational imbalances, and systemic disenfranchisement, particularly of minorities, pose significant barriers to democratic participation. Politically, issues of governance, electoral integrity, and political legitimacy hinder the effective functioning of democracy. Security challenges, including insurgencies, political violence, and vigilantism, have disrupted civil liberties and democratic processes. Externally, global economic inequalities and the influence of foreign powers on local politics present further challenges to the consolidation of democracy in West Africa.

Despite these formidable challenges, Dr Dan Suleiman stressed that West Africa has an unprecedented opportunity to reimagine its democratic future. He proposed an alternative path, which he described as "indigenized, domesticated, and diversified" political practices. Central to this reimagination is the idea of people-centric politics. According to him, political structures in West Africa must bring citizens—particularly women and youth—back to the forefront of the peace and security agenda. He criticized the systematic marginalization of these groups and called for their active participation in governance. This, he argued, would reinvigorate democracy by making it more inclusive and representative.

Another critical element of Dr Dan Suleiman’s vision for West Africa’s democratic future is the inclusion of all communities, regardless of ethnic or social status, in governance processes. He emphasized that the notion that certain communities or ethnic groups are "more Nigerian" or "more Malian" than others must end. The path forward, he argued, lies in fostering an inclusive democratic system that respects and incorporates all social and ethnic groups.
He also highlighted the need to restore traditional governance systems that were in place before colonialism. He called for the revival of local traditions and cultural mores, which, he argued, contain elements of democracy with greater legitimacy and ontological density than many of the foreign-imposed systems currently in place. These systems, according to Dr Dan Suleiman, offer a more sustainable and culturally relevant foundation for governance in West Africa.

However, Dr Dan Suleiman was quick to clarify that this alternative path does not mean rejecting all foreign systems. Instead, it calls for a balanced approach where African governance systems complement Western models rather than compete with them. He advocated for a world where "black and white complement each other" and Africa maintains its particularity while remaining responsive to global developments. A key part of this re-imagination is the decolonisation of democracy, which Dr Dan Suleiman stressed must be non-confrontational and focused on building inclusive, sustainable, and humane political systems.

The forum was attended by a cross-section of Ghanaian youth, student women leaders and several experts all united in the search for peace in the upcoming 2024 elections and beyond.