-Dr. Ibrahim Bangura speaks at Wilson Centre in the USA
Dr. Ibrahim Bangura, a distinguished academic and Associate Professor at the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, was part of high-level panel Tuesday, at the esteemed Wilson Center in the United States of America.
This event explored the “trends and transformation in African democratic governance.” According to the organisers, the insights from the scholars will feed into a wider endeavour in formulating the 21st century US-Africa relations.
Dr Ibrahim Bangura’s interventions were quite instructive. He argued forcefully for the defense of democracy in Africa amid the epidemic of electoral fraud across the continent and the upshoot of coup detats, which appear to be a direct consequence of stolen elections. He made the point that it is increasingly the case that it’s no longer about who votes, rather; it’s about who counts the votes.
Dr Bangura also advocated for a bold approach on the part of the US; moreso the need to deal directly with Africa, instead of through third parties.
An activist himself, he strongly advocated for support to CSOs and for socio-economic development through US institutions like the American African Institute, whose operations, he said, had dwindled over the years. He said democracy cannot flourish where the democratic dividend is absent. “The people cannot eat peace,” he asserted.
Given that he works extensively with the African Union and its Regional Economic Communities (RECs) such as ECOWAS, the public policy, security and peace expert, further persuasively argued for support to the AU and its RECs.
Critically, Dr Ibrahim Bangura balanced his argument about American backing undemocratic leaders and the fact that elections, touted as democratic, tend to be producing undemocratic leaders, citing Sierra Leone’s 2023 elections as a case in point.
He underscored the existence of young and progressive leaders on the continent, and encouraged the US to relate more with such leaders than those with autocratic tendencies.
The inclusion of Dr. Bangura among such prominent intellectuals emphasizes his significance in the search for solutions to contemporary governance challenges faced by Africa.
Among his esteemed peers who participated in this panel were Siphokazi Magadla, an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Political and International Studies at Rhodes University. Magadla is celebrated for her impactful work, including her notable book ‘Guerrillas and Combative Mothers,’ which intricately examines complex social dynamics within conflict settings, an essential aspect when discussing democratic governance and its implications for peacebuilding.
Cyril Obi, a research associate at the Department of Political Sciences at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Obi also serves as program director for both the African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program.