How I Disrupt: Strengthening Democracy in Africa
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With the rise of Global Populism and Shrinking Civic Space, the paradigm needs to focus on how citizens themselves can mobilize themselves and demand accountability from the State.
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How I Disrupt: Strengthening Democracy in Africa
- 1. Oludotun Babayemi How I Disrupt
- 2. Source: People and Corruption: African Survey 2015 (Global Corruption Barometer)
- 4. 48 157,822
Editor's Notes
- There is an Africa Adage – “The Palm Wine Tapper is like a King to a Drunkard” If we want to strengthen liberal democracy, then I think we need to empower more citizens to hold their government accountable. So the citizens become the Palm Wine Tapper that checks the excesses of the Palm Wine Drinker who represents the government.
- So what are the excesses – Corruption enhanced by weak systems, thus breeding weak institutions. Recently, the World Economic Forum did a Global Survey of 31,000 young people in 186 countries, asking them what is of most concern to them that the world should tackle. 5 out of 10 mentioned corruption. In the 2015 Global Corruption Barometer in 2015, 58% of people mostly in Nigeria, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Liberia thinks corruption has increased.
- What can we do? Myself and my colleague started a Follow The Money Network (a group of young energetic and dedicated people) in 2012 to track government spending on capital projects in rural communities in the area of health infrastructures, teaching aid, and water supply. We do this by using social media (Facebook and Twitter) and the traditional media (Radio, TV and the Newsprint) to advocate for proper project implementation in this communities while conducting town hall meetings, advocacy meetings and community outreaches in the concerned communities.
- In the past 5 years, the network has been able to engage government in 48 rural communities to provide basic amenities to 157,822 lives – providing health care facilities for children and adults, providing new classrooms for pupils and providing access to portable water. But we think the network can do more, and that this can be scaled!
- We need more people in Africa, and from every part of the world to join us at http://ifollowthemoney.org so we can mobilize our people, exchange knowledge and share information on ensuring transparency and accountability. Presently, we have members from The Gambia, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and Togo. You should join as well, your communities need you!
- Thank you for listening you can contact me at oludotunbabayemi@gmail.com