It is useless to stand in the way of history. The bible, the Christian’s book says this in EccI, 3:1-9; “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which was planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to breakdown, and a time to build; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and time to dance, a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away: a time to rend, and a time to sew, a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate, a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
The beginning of life is the coming of death. Yes, the journey of man begins the first day of his birth. On 29th of October, 2011, President Moamar Gaddafi who refused to step down like his counterparts inEgyptandTunisiawas killed like a dangerous beast by the same people he ruled with high-handedness. He was given opportunity by Libyan Transitional Government to surrender but he thought he was insurmountable. Nobody, no matter his or her position in life is more than his citizens when they are angry.
Our leaders must learn to rule without coercing or coaxing the people to obey them even at the point of taking their lives. Today Gaddafi has died. He was a dictator who did not want to listen to the opinion of his people. There are leaders like Gaddafi hiding amongst us. And some of them might look at Gaddafi as a coward. But the truth is that in the presence of a tyrant nobody grumbles and goes Scot free. InLibya, Gaddafi was the government, was the oil and every government house. Though he did some meaningful projects that made Libyans to enjoy their economy to some extent but, his long stay in power caused his downfall.
The dictatorship as a style of government does not make a dictator popular after he was deposed. Everything on earth has an end. Most human leaders think of themselves and forget to know that without the people that they are nothing. Would the end of Gaddafi and dictatorship teach leaders of the world a lesson? Our leaders must learn to rule for their citizens to celebrate their death. The death of Colonel Gaddafi was greeted with high level of jubilation acrossLibya. Humans in this modern age must learn from the death of Gaddafi. All the popularity of Gaddafi has soured. Leadership is not about how it is defined but about how it is exercised by those in positions of leadership. According to the bible, there is a time for everything. There was a time Gaddafi was a liberator. And today he is seen as dictator who had no love for his people. The rise and fall of Gaddafi is a story that humanity should learn from. Leaders should not allow the sweetness of power to intoxicate them to do the contrary. The leaders inAfricawho inherit their countries as their personal properties should think twice. It was obvious that the presence of Gaddafi inLibyawas a great threat to Libyan Transitional Government
Gaddafi’s international reputation was riddled with his dictatorial and tyrannical tendencies. Soon the Libyan Transitional Government would concentrate to rebuildLibyadestroyed by internal aggression. Thus, change is an element of development. Any leader who sees himself as the ultimate is a dictator and a killer of his people. Some African leaders who manipulate their lawmakers to review the constitution to their continuous stay in power should think twice. Gaddafi ruled forty two years as president ofLibya. It was sad to note that Gaddafi was grooming his children to take over from him. It is common to more that some African leaders weaken their citizens in order to remain in power till the day of their death. Today, the family of Gaddafi has been torn to pieces. It is an unpleasant consequence. The raging wave of violence across the world today is as a result of some leaders who want to die in power.
InBahrainabout twenty doctors were sentenced to several years of imprisonment for treating protesters who were wounded in course of protesting against the Bahraini government. That was an action of a dictator. Dictators are everywhere. Those who support dictators to maltreat their citizens should learn from what has happened to Pro- Gaddafi loyalists inLibya. Leaders are not for terror. But some leaders have made themselves terror to: their people. The Libyan people with the aid of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have overcome dictatorship in thelandofLibya. It is also a huge lesson for other citizens of the world who are oppressed by their leaders to learn how to rise to the occasion of freedom. Any leader who makes himself a threat to the people shall be pulled down. Late President Gaddafi ofLibyawas killed in his home town ofSirte. African leaders as a matter of fact must look beyond the present state of things. Most of the African leaders clinch to power in order to dictate or impose burden on their citizens; and in the end amass unquantifiable wealth without love for the people.
The Gaddafi’s episode would run through many generations. The revolution has gradually come to an end. World leaders are not left out in the celebration of the death of Gaddafi. How would his descendants who are left behind feel? It is time for leaders to refrain from becoming dictators.
Gaddafi was described as a man who ruled his country with iron hand; what a description? And he was killed with iron hand. Leaders should learn not to rule their people with iron hand. The four decades plus of dictatorship and tyranny has come to an end like a vapour. He had female body guards. And now everything has disappeared. What legacy can be laid behind for the young generation to follow? Gaddafi’s regime has come to an end inLibya.
But the principles of Gaddafi’s leadership must be done away with to avoid revolution. There is need for political leaders to practice democratic principles in their countries.
Moamar Gaddafi was described as one of the brutal tyrants in history. The killing of Gaddafi was a drama the whole world watched on 20th October, 2011. All leaders around the world should learn to know that no human is supreme in the affairs of leadership. Gaddafi after all his firmness and demonstration of power and wealth in the world is dead and buried according to the way of every mortal man. Everything that has a beginning also has an end. Therefore our leaders should learn how to rule the people well. Colonel Moamar Gaddafi is gone and gone forever. He was not the first dictator on planet earth. But for sure, every intending dictator should use the end of President Gaddafi to decide their fate in the future.
He was a man of wealth and might and he was a dreadful man by his action. Today while majority are celebrating his fall and death, few are also mourning his death. He was a dictator who had so many strategies to get his perceived enemies. World leaders, especially African leaders should learn more from the death of Colonel Moamar Gaddafi who was shot to pieces in broad day life in Sirte his home, holding his powerless golden pistol in the face of death. There is a great need for leaders to have fear of God while ruling over a people. Therefore, time has come for leaders to live by example. The death of Gaddafi is a lesson for human race. ####
Frank Eneawaji Ogwuonuonu is a public affairs analyst who recedes inPort Harcourt.
Frank Eneawaji Ogwuonuonu
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