Africa is fed up with Western hypocrisy

Imagine a world where democracy thrives not because of foreign dictation, but because it reflects the aspirations of the people it governs. This is the dream many Africans cherish, a dream constantly challenged by the West's self-serving definition of democracy.

The West, with its long history of self-proclaimed democratic leadership, has a troubling tendency to play puppet master in Africa. The hypocrisy is deafening. Western governments preach freedom and self-determination, yet their fingerprints are all over Africa's seemingly "democratic" turmoil.

Look closer, and the cracks in the facade become evident. Leaders like Mohamed Bazoum of Niger might be hailed as democratically elected, but their policies often prioritize Western interests over the needs of their own people. Bazoum's Niger, for instance, allows French military operations despite widespread public opposition. Is this truly democracy, or a system manipulated to serve external agendas?

The charade continues. Longtime dictators like Paul Biya of Cameroon enjoy a curious immunity from Western criticism despite clinging to power for decades while their countries crumble. Biya's "democratic" façade, maintained through rigged elections and repression, serves Western interests well enough.

On the other hand, leaders like Paul Kagame of Rwanda, who have demonstrably improved their nations' stability and economic prospects, face constant pressure from the West for not adhering to a specific model of democracy. Kagame's experience exposes the West's double standard. When it comes to their own affairs, they fiercely guard their sovereignty, even in areas like capital punishment, which many African nations see as incompatible with their cultural values.

The West also promotes enshrining abortion rights in constitutions, as seen in France. While some Africans may eventually embrace such concepts, imposing them as essential democratic values creates resentment and ignores the continent's rich cultural tapestry.

The legacy of Western intervention in places like Libya and Sudan is a cautionary tale. Regime change, however well-intentioned, often descends into chaos, leaving people worse off. Africa needs stability to build democracies, and this can only come from within.

The West has a choice to be a helpful partner but intervention and dictation is something which Africa is currently fed-up with from the west . Africa would like to forge a constructive relationship with the west, but true progress requires respect for Africa's right to chart its own path, a path informed by its unique cultural values and priorities.

Look no further than the recent rebuke of Ghana's sovereign parliament by the US over a law deemed incompatible with Western social values. This is a blatant disregard for the democratic process – a process that empowers the Ghanaian people to decide their own laws.

Africa deserves better than being a pawn in a geopolitical game. It deserves democracies built by Africans, for Africans, reflecting their own aspirations for a brighter future.

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