Constitutional Democracy in Africa. Vol. 5

This five-volume work received a Special Commendation in the 2005 Noma Award for Publishing in Africa.

In this landmark five-volume work, constitutional democracy is
portrayed as a metaphor of an edifice standing on many pillars: the
rule of law, equality and justice, a market-orientated economy, and a
democratic ethos. The edifice itself is constituted by a government
freely elected by the popular majority, and limited in its powers by a
supreme constitution with overriding legal powers.

The study examines in broad theoretical terms the structures,
institutions and organising principles of constitutional, democratic
government. More specifically, it considers how constitutional
democracy and other various forms of government have been applied in
practice in Africa. By contrasting the virtues of constitutional
democracy with the shortcomings of authoritarian rule, Ben Nwabwueze
elucidates his thesis that there is no better system of rule than
constitutional democracy to ensure viable governance of human society,
and the realisation of human potential. Finally, the author examines
the conditions and changes required to instate constitutional democracy
in Africa, and assesses the prospects of it being sustained.