Africa and the challenges of unipolar world: Sovereignty, civil society and women‟s rights as case studies

Abstract

Close to two decades after the emergence of unipolar world, more than ample opportunities are provided to access
the impact of this phenomenon on Africa. It emergence ushered in what is known today as “global village”.
Happenings in any state are no longer the exclusive preserve of the „village‟ or „hamlet‟ concerned but that of the
entire globe. Sovereign nations in Africa and indeed anywhere that were previously unchallengeable not least by
external bodies but more importantly by the internal ones– civil societies, women groups among many other bodies –
now have high degree of freedom to operate and connect one another locally, nationally and internationally to
challenge despotic sovereigns. These are done in a way that the sovereigns in Africa, both traditional and modern, are
powerless to do anything than to bow. The paper examines the ways and methodologies by which unipolar world and
its allies in the African states, even if unwillingly, open up the political space for participation by all and sundry. Not
least in their focus are the mechanisms by which these tyrants are challenged, corrected or possibly removed from
office e.g. Sani Abacha and Charles Taylor. African women also regain their voices and actions. How these happen is
what this paper sets out to examine.