China, democracy and Voodoo

Available for over a year

Steve Evans is travelling by bus eastwards with the BBC from Ivory Coast to Nigeria. For this programme he's in Benin, a sliver of a country more than six times as long as it's wide. The coastline there is just eighty miles, in contrast to the big boarder with Nigeria which is five hundred miles long. One of the big debates in Benin is over China's role in Africa. Benin is what's called a pluralistic democracy with many parties competing for votes. Today there's an argument in the country - and throughout the continent - about whether the western electoral system is the best way to promote economic growth. The argument is that authoritarianism might be better at delivering bread, though not freedom. Even in democratic Ghana, runs the argument, economic growth happened under the military rule of Jerry Rawlings. Steve also visits a market for the raw materials of Voodoo, which remains a strong religion. The market is the size of a football field and Steve ventures into some of its cave like rooms to hear about potions and charms, which are supposed to help your business, career and love life.