ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an understanding that the fundamental issues underlying the problem of state fragility in sub-Saharan Africa are not as straightforward as they may appear. This is partly due to the way the roles of African governments are understood and theorized. Some authors hold that the triggers of fragility in the region are mere reoccurrences of what life has always been in its habitable spaces; and, hence, of little cause for global concern. While others recognize the global dimensions to the woes of this crisis-ridden region, they have pointed to the contestations surrounding the ‘state’: what it is, and what has been its role in the making/unmaking of fragility. They have questioned the proactive ability of the African state in the building of resilient communities that can cope with the impact of fragility. This introductory chapter argues that the postcolonial state in Africa cannot be dismissed because of its role in the making of some of the fragility indicators: conflicts, political instability, poverty, pandemics, corruption, household food insecurity, gender inequality and [child labor]. It should also be seen as a resilient actor, with a central role in the case management of the incidences of economic, social and political fragility.
