Lagos: A Professor of Political Science, Sylvester Akhaine, emphasized the necessity for Africa to liberate itself from the overwhelming influence of the West by adopting radical perspectives that interrogate causality. Akhaine presented this perspective during the 103rd Inaugural Lecture Series of Lagos State University, held at the university’s main campus in Ojo. His lecture, titled “Shifting for Good: The Weapon of Empiricism in the Disorder of a Third Wave of Democracy in Africa,” highlighted the importance of understanding the relationship between cause and effect in the continent’s political evolution.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Akhaine argued that academia should focus on examining causality to address Africa’s socio-political challenges. He advocated for the Lagos State University’s Department of Political Science, which he referred to as the “Lagos School of Politics,” to prioritize truth-seeking as a means to find solutions to existential issues in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.
Akhaine discussed Africa’s experience with the Third Wave of Democracy, which began in the late 1980s and is often seen as a period of democratic renewal. He explained that Africa’s journey during this era was shaped by both external and internal factors, including the unfinished task of decolonization and the realization that military regimes were unsustainable. This period saw increased agitation from civil society and political entities, paving the way for democratic transitions and nation-building.
Highlighting the political instability in Africa, Akhaine noted that between 2010 and 2024, the continent experienced 56 coups. Of these, 41 were attempted, 14 were successful, and there was one self-coup. These events underscore the ongoing challenges to democratic stability and governance in Africa.