Mugabe's Exit And The Future of Zimbabweans

Three decades seven years, ex-President Mugabe of Zimbabwe was in the saddle calling the shots. He became President as a revolutionary, exited power as a rebel. The same enthusiasm that saw to his emergence was witnessed in his exit.

The euphoria on the streets of Harare, Zimbabwe today reminds me of the jubilation that followed the demise of General Sani Abacha in 1998. Yours truly was one of those people who smiled and ease a sigh of relief. It was as if the outset of Abacha then will pave way for a Nigeria that will be flowing with milk and honey.

Almost twenty years later, there is hardly little difference between the Nigeria of then and now. Some people might even agreed with me that things have gotten worse than then.

Gaddafi of Libya was removed, better still, murdered by Libyan soldiers for refusing to step down after long years of rulership in a coup that the West, and particularly, the US has been fingered in, the reality at the present in the country left much to be desired. Same is true of Tunnisia.

Africa and Africans no doubt is reputed for sit-tight oligarchy. Indeed examples abound in the continent's history. Indeed, one cannot but remembered the Eyadema of Togo, Charles Taylor of Liberia. At present, we still have Paul Biya of Cameroun, Jose dos Santos of Angola, Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, and Denis Sassou Nguesso just to mention a few.

The question we need to ask is what make these leaders to be able to perpetuate themselves in office: is it their power (physical or spiritual), riches or charisma and or the love of their people?

I won't leave you to answer- methinks these leaders are able to hold on to power because of the systems they have built around themselves; and here comes my fears for Zimbabweans, mere removal of Mugabe from office should not be seen as Uhuru. It is just the starting point, as they could be worse off than ever with the removal of the President as evidenced have shown from other countries.

Like him or hate him, Mugabe was not only a voice against white supremacy in Zimbabwe but for the black man, he spoke his mind no matter whose ox is gored; but he refuses to leave when the ovation was loudest, and this made him a failure as a leader of his people and the black race.

This is what distinguishes Nelson Mandela from him, and other black leaders who fought for the liberation of their people but failed to produce credible successors who will continue where they stopped. It is a signal to other sit-tight leaders in Africa and beyond that their days of reckoning is equally imminent.

Meanwhile, the African youths have a serious job in their hands, there is need for the dislodge of systems that produce the likes of Mugabe. This is an herculean task but not an impossible mission. We just need to take the bull by the horn through Self-awareness and sensitisation of ourselves. The time to do it is now.

God bless Nigeria!
God bless Africa!!