Media personality James Onen has challenged the conventional argument that Africa’s development problems are mainly caused by weak institutions, arguing that the deeper question is how strong institutions are created in the first place.
In a lengthy reflection on Africa’s political development, Onen argued that many Western democracies admired by African countries did not begin as fully democratic systems.
He said their modern institutions emerged after long periods of centralised authority, state consolidation and political transformation.
“Europe's states were hammered into shape over centuries through monarchies and empires that centralized authority, imposed common laws, built taxation systems, and forged national identities through violence and coercion,” Onen said.
He pointed to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore as examples of countries where strong centralised governments played a major role in building state capacity before or alongside democratic reforms.
Onen cited Singapore under former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, arguing that the country's institutions were developed in a way that allowed the state machinery to continue functioning beyond the tenure of its founding leader.
“Lee Kuan Yew and his government built a state that didn't depend on Lee personally. He left office, and the machinery kept running - with a capable civil service, strong agencies, and statutory boards,” he said.
According to Onen, Africa faced a different historical challenge following independence. He argued that colonial borders brought together communities with different ethnic identities, languages and histories, leaving newly independent states to build national institutions and identities simultaneously.
“Africa skipped this stage completely,” he said, adding that African governments were expected to democratise, establish national identity, strengthen state authority and deliver development at the same time.
Onen further argued that weak state institutions have allowed family, clan and ethnic networks to remain important sources of trust and security for many citizens.
He said the situation becomes particularly problematic during elections, when political competition can encourage patronage and nepotism, making it harder to establish impartial national institutions.
Onen also questioned why Africa did not produce a leader whose institutional legacy survived beyond his tenure, like Lee Kuan Yew.
He argued that several post-independence African leaders attempted nation-building but created systems heavily dependent on their personal leadership.
“When that leader fell, whether through death, overthrow, or exit, there was no institutional foundation to carry forward and sustain what little progress was achieved under his rule,” Onen said.
He warned that repeated changes in political leadership can lead countries to repeatedly rebuild state machinery instead of strengthening institutions over time.