To make Liberians believe in democracy, to make us believe in human rights. For his outspokenness, two of Weah's female cousins were raped and his house burnt down by gunmen from one of the warring factions that had for six years turned Liberia into a killing field in a senseless war. Weah's comment was naive but understandable. Blaming Africa's woes on bad leaders has become the mantra of many people concerned about the continent's future. A change in government, preferably through democratic means, is viewed as the main pre-requisite for making a fresh start and attracting economic investment.
Analysts focus their minds on how inept African leaders can be got rid of.
George Ayittey, a Ghanaian professor at the American University in Washington, DC, suggested that African dictators be paid to relinquish power. The tendency is to view Africa's woes in terms of the excesses of individual dictators and their cronies. The image that comes to mind is of kleptomaniacs and megalomaniacs like Mobutu Sese Seko and Jean-Bedel Bokassa. It is easy to draw from this the conclusion that the simple solution to Africa's governance problems is to change its leaders. The belief that a nation can be redeemed by removing a set of crooked leaders inspired the killing of Nigeria's first post-independence civilian rulers by idealistic army majors.