Death throes..

The current stand-off in post-election Ivory coast is put in perspective.

Laurent Gbagbo remains defiant in spite of pressure from the international community, urging him to step down following elections he was widely believed to have lost to Alassane Ouattara.

Such is the stand-off in Ivory Coast at the moment, that analysts fear that another civil war could ensue less than 10 years after the last. Fatalities are reported to stand at near 200, and around 17,000 Ivoriens have been reported to have fled into neighbouring Liberia..

Pressure has mounted on Gbagbo to step down, not least from Regional leaders who have threatened to use "legitimate force" to oust him should he continue to refuse to leave the seat of power.

Time will tell how this will play out, however something worth noting seems to be occurring on the continent.. The era of authoritarian rule that shows scant regard for democratic principles is in its death throes..

From Kenya to Zimbabwe and Guinea (which has just completed its first democratic election since its founding in 1958) questions are being asked post-elections that were not asked in the past..

Next stop in 2011... Nigeria. Watch this space!