By Moses Odokonyero
Swinging a can of beer, the sweaty and yelling rebel commander asked the battered and visibly terrified man: “Where is the money?” Like a cornered animal, the man, dressed only in blood-soaked underwear, desperately pleaded for his life but the gang of seemingly intoxicated rebels ignored his plea and went ahead to slice off his ears(presumably because they never listened) before executing him like an animal.
Swinging a can of beer, the sweaty and yelling rebel commander asked the battered and visibly terrified man: “Where is the money?” Like a cornered animal, the man, dressed only in blood-soaked underwear, desperately pleaded for his life but the gang of seemingly intoxicated rebels ignored his plea and went ahead to slice off his ears(presumably because they never listened) before executing him like an animal.
It may sound like an episode from a bad Nigerian movie but no, it is how former Liberian strongman, Sergeant Samuel Doe’s life ended when rebels captured and executed him in 1990.
You can still watch this grotesque video online, if you have the guts, and you are above 18.
But even then the sight of a once proud and prancing ‘king of kings’, bloodied and plucked out of ‘ a rat hole’ and shortly after, according to some accounts, executed, must have sent a trembling cold chill in many presidential spines across the African continent. Palace occupants who are ‘believers’ in the existence of someone more powerful in the skies might have said one or two prayers for such a calamity not to befall them.
Only in April this year former Ivorian President and ironically a former history Professor, Laurent Gbagbo, failed to learn from history by attempting to cling onto power only to be disgracefully drilled out of a presidential bunker with his wife and son in tow.
Of all the African tyrants who have since been ousted from power only Sani Abacha of Nigeria had a ‘sweet’ exit reportedly after his heart snapped due to an overdose of Viagra during a hot sex orgy gone bad.
Africa is now littered with examples of what befalls leaders who cling on and rule their countries like private property. Gaddafi is sadly (because he should have been tried) the latest addition to this impressively growing list? And he may not be the last.
After the end of the cold war tyrants who had aligned themselves to either the Americans or the Soviets lost relevance to their allies. Mobutu Sseseseko was one such jerk that fell off the swing for his failure to appreciate the changed world order. Unlike Gadaffi, Mobutu did not have the ‘luxury’ of dying in his dear Gbadolite (an equivalent of Gaddafi’s Sirte).
At about the same time Mobutu fell, a clique of African leaders emerged. These were mistakenly called ‘new breed’ by then US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
Among this group is Uganda’s Museveni. This lot, having learnt lessons from the fall of the likes of Mobutu, perfected the art of strategically and cunningly positioning themselves to be of constant relevance to the West.
But even strategic positioning may no longer be a guarantee for monarchical rule. Hosni Mubarak was strategic to the Americans so much so that Washington in the initial stages of revolts in Tahir Square dilly-dallied without a strong position on what do to with Mubarak until the old despot was drowned in a sea of protesters.
In his visit to Accra two years ago, Barrack Obama, urged Africans to take their destiny in their own hands.
The Libyans with the obvious big hand of NATO literally did so when their hands landed on Gadaffi. It was a pathetic sight seeing the ‘king of Kings’ powerless being tossed around but also a stark reminder to clinging tyrants that when you drive people nuts during decades of absolute misrule you make these very people capable of doing nutty things on you when you fall.
The writer is a post graduate student, in the department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
By Moses Odokonyero - modokonyero@masscom.mak.ac.ug
"An African does not often defy authority. He will follow anyone who asserts himself as leader, however inept. His crops can fail, his children can die, his government can treat him grievously and the African still carries on, uttering no protests, sharing no complaints..." David Lamb in his book, The Africans. (Book is in the MUK MAJC Book Bank.)
ReplyDeleteIs contemporary Africa proving Mr. Lamb wrong?
While Africa is sprinkled with examples of despots hauled out of palatial State Houses, the earlier examples of 'liberators' were military rebels and coup takers.
Today, it's people power. The common man in action (...in acts of: Kill the beast, cut his throat, spill his blood...William Golding in his book, Lord of the Flies).
But wait a moment:
The people-power thing in Africa is so-far limited to the Arab Maghreb.
Is there wish action should roll South of the Sahara? Hell yes!
But, what is the possibility of a spill-over?
Why is Museveni, Mugabe (he two days ago threatened to dismiss his whole cabinet for suggesting cabinet meetings should start with a prayer), Mutharika, Males, Mwai (who blatantly stole a vote) Mswati (who rivals King Solomon in number of wives and concubines)etc. seemingly un-bothered?
Why?
James Thembo
thembojms@yahoo.com
As we ponder the above, we should also remember that many revolutions in the world and Africa in particular have tended to be as bad or worse than their predecessor regimes.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Orwell's Animal Farm is the clearest illustration.
Equally, reliance on revolutionary rioting is likely to cultivate a cycle of violence. While there are attempts to establish a new and truly acceptable legal framework in Egypt for example, rioters have often returned to Tahril Square, and in my view, with minor reasons.
Whatever the drawbacks from the North Africa revolutions might be, the public good is (so-far) being done.
And African strongmen and woman can only ignore these events at their own possible peril!
People power as far as the African model is concerned showed us that it has no unified objective, ideology or even aspirartions. Whenever an African dictator is over thrown by so-called rebels, terror reigns and chaos rules for ages. The Maghreb countries' uprising proves to everyone that people power fueled by educated, enlightened and productive population are the key factors in determining a useful transition from autocratic to democratic systems.
ReplyDeleteWhen King of Kings Meets a Simple Death
ReplyDeleteSo, what is in a name…for and African ruler?
Most African rulers have turned presidential cultism into an art, each president adopting a nickname to convey a desired image. Let us begin with the flashy title of King of Kings which Gaddafi had bestowed on himself:
King of Kings is a title that has been used by several monarchies and empires throughout history. The title originates in the Ancient Near East. It is the equivalent of the title Emperor.
The Emperors of Ethiopia also had the title of "king of kings"
The title is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), applying to Babylon king Nebuchadnezzar. In the book of Daniel 2:37, Daniel interprets the dream of Nebuchadnezzar to the effect that:
"Thou, O king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory."
Nebuchadnezzar was reputedly smart, shrewd, tactically brilliant, manipulative, and brutal. He could use people the way he wanted. He could take their lives when he wanted. He knew just when to strike his enemies at their weakest points. He was a great King and he had created his kingdom... His heart knew it.
And then God humbled this proud king:
Daniel Chap.4: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven…
And at that moment, the great and mighty King Nebuchadnezzar became like an animal. He ran from the comfort of his palace and lived in the fields and forests.
King Nebuchadnezzar’s hair grew as long as eagle feathers and his fingernails like bird claws. He ate grass like a cow, and the rain fell on his head…
Note that the ancient city of Babylon is sixty miles south west of Baghdad in Iraq. On 13 December 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces at a farmhouse near Tikrit in a hole. This sounds a replica of Nebuchadnezzar’s situation!
In Christianity, "king of kings" is one of the titles of Jesus, based on 1 Timothy 6:15, and Revelation 17:14, 19:16.
Next?
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Cleverly, maybe unintentionally, his showy titles are in vernacular…and so they remain in Uganda and not beyond. He has called himself Nyarwino (One with deadly pointed teeth), Sebalwanyi (master of fighters) and quite like Gaddafi, Sebagabe (king of kings).
Eyadima and Mobutu used to call themselves “The Guide.” Kenyatta was Mzee (Wise Old Man), Nyerere was “Teacher,” Kamuzu Banda was “Chief of Chiefs.” Nguema Biyogo was “The National Miracle,” while Houphouet-Boigny of Ivory Cost was “The No. 1 Peasant.” Amin was “The Conquerer of the British Empire.”
Then Bokassa. Former ruler of the Central Africa Republic. The first African former ruler tried for murder and cannibalism.
Evidence for cannibalism during prosecution?
1. The frozen body of a schoolteacher hanging on a freezer hook in Bokasa’s State House
2. Mounds of human flesh prepared for roasting
3. Court testimony of Bokassa's former cook having prepared meals with human flesh and watching his boss eat them with relish
Bokassa was convicted of murder and sentenced to death"
Presidential cultism at its best in Africa...and this is not Afro-pessimism! It's the truth!
In a commentary to Al Jazeera last month shortly after Gadaffi was killed, Prof. Mahmood Mamdani, the director of Makerere Institute of Social Research at Makerere University did predict that “dark days are ahead” with global powers becoming more interested in Africa, and that interventions in the continent were likely to become more common.
ReplyDeleteHe urged Africans to reflect on the fall of Gaddafi and, before him, that of Gbagbo in Ivory Coast. “Will these events usher in an era of external interventions, each welcomed internally as a mechanism to ensure a change of political leadership in one country after another?” Mamdani asked rhetorically.
“One thing should be clear: those interested in keeping external intervention at bay need to concentrate their attention and energies on internal reform.”
Mamdani’s comments should be looked at in light of with US President Barack Obama’s “commitment” to Africa, the continent that also produced his Kenyan father and that ironically jubilated the most when he was elected as the first black US President.
But barely a year after being elected, Mr Barack Obama while on his first trip to Africa in July 2009, warned, “Make no mistake: history is on the side of these brave Africans, and not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.”
“America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation – the essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. What we will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance…”
Over and over again, he urged Africans to “take responsibility for your future” and pledged that America would stand behind you as a “friend” and a “partner.”
But are African dictators listening? No, like Uganda's former leaders, they don’t have ears, as playwright Alex Mukulu depicted them in his iconic play, '30 Years of Bananas.'
If indeed they were listening to the voices of their people, they would be starting to lighten their grip by being less repressive to political opponents, they would be doing more to ensure accountability to the people, they would be working at ensuring that the needs of the people take priority over their own self aggrandizement.
Well, apparently, they think Mamdani and Obama are jokers.
They are totally oblivious of the fact that like Gadaffi, Gbagbo & Co who have been swept away by the inevitable and irresistible floods of change, their turn too is just around the corner.