African Politics and Society in the 21st Century

After more than one hundred years of statehood, most African countries are still facing serious challenges of political instability, low growth, underdevelopment and stagnation. These challenges have created a dysfunctional African society and destroyed the heroic and proud myth of resilience and hard work associated with a typical African. The book has analyzed the trends, and dynamics of the breakdown of family and institutional values, which have necessitated the classification of most African states as failed. While the book is of the opinion that in as much as the relationship between Africa and the West has contributed to the continent’s current predicaments, Africa’s problems are predominantly, self induced and are traced from the stereotypical culture of lack of idealism. The book has empirically, demonstrated that this culture has hindered initiative and promoted mediocrity, deceit and tyranny on the part of African leadership while the politics of exclusion has promoted the culture of self resignation and fratricidal conflicts on the continent. The book has also proved that the current ‘wave’ of democratization in Africa particularly, the electoral process as dramatized rituals that seek to legitimate the authority of the ruling class.