
By Jotham Chatcham Ayuba
A careful look at events as they unfold, one will imagine if South Africans are the only nation in the entire continents that is civilized or listens and obey the rule of law.
Years back, we had chains of dictators who have been in power for ages/decades. It took the ultimate power of nature to wrestle them out of power,(Death/Terminal illness).
Mobuto Seseko of Zaire, was said to have ruled his country like a personal property. Charles Taylor was another tyrant, who was forcefully chased out and granted asylum in Nigeria by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, which later translated to a net used in fishing him out for the International Criminal Court of Justice.
History will not fold the chapters in a hurry. Recall, how the Zimbabwean old man was chased out of power at a fragile age? You don’t have to stress your faculty of reasoning to arrive at a name far from, Robert Mugabe!
The above names mentioned are just a few out of many dictators who have colonised and rule their own countries as personal properties/ business empires.
Why South Africa again?
Jacob Zuma, before assumption to office and the cusswords administered, Mr. Thabo Mbeki was an occupant of that prestigious and respected office as South African president. Mbeki was confronted with serious corruption allegations, which compelled his humbleness to take a bow, that commanded a loud ovation by its citizens and the international community.
Mbeki was said to have asked the courts, to proceed with investigations which could either find him guilty or pronounce him innocent of the said accusations. What happened thereafter? The man was said to be innocent of all the accusations. Thabo Mbeki, who is a respected gentleman within and outside the boundaries of his country, was applauded for taking such a bold step, in quitting the juicy but hectic position. To date, Mbeki commands the respect of South African men and women.
…..and now,
South African President Jacob Zuma is said to have bowed to intense pressure from his party and resigned Wednesday, ending nearly nine years of rule, marred by corruption scandals and fiscal mismanagement that shamed the party of ‘Nelson Mandela’, and inflicted serious damage on one of Africa’s biggest economies.
The 75-year-old leader’s approval ratings had been sinking along with those of his ruling party, the African National Congress. In the end, the party turned against him and sided with his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, who unseated Zuma as party president in December and now becomes acting president of the country.
Back home in Nigeria, the case is different. We’ve had leaders who ruled this country for years and inflicted the virus of corruption, laced and embroidered in the fabrics of this entity, called, ‘Nigeria, the Giant of Africa’.
We are indeed giant interms of corruption, impunity, insecurity, nepotism, regional and religious sentiments, crowned imbibed and impregnated with tribal diarrhea.
From IBB’s military regime, we saw how corruption fared well. Abiola was denied his God given mandate. Ernest Shonekan was set-up and only lasted three months after which another buzu-tyrant stepped in and wanted to continue after taking off his khaki but the forbidden apple whisked him away. Another white bearded general from the Cool & the gang clan, came in as a Head of state, smiling like an angel sent from the shrine of Ile Ife or sorry😂 Nupe kingdom in Niger State.
Gen. Abdulsalami was cool, calm and a smooth treasury smoker but heed to the counsel of maradona, to conduct elections, usher in a democratically elected president and handover the corrupt bait to him. Well, we thank him for doing just that, despite the fact that, he stole from the Abacha’s loot.
Nigeria is a country blessed with huge potentials but stubborn leaders, who would rather fall and die but will never quit honourably. If Obasanjo had succeeded his 3rd term bit, this country would’ve been rule by another Robert Obasanjo Mugabe Olusegun.😂
In Nigeria, shout thief, scream Ole, drum Barawo and speak in my dialect, ‘ Atang’ Nobody sent u Oh! A time will come, when citizens in this country rise to the occassion and chase dem lasser-fever infested leaders outta Aso Rock.
In a nutshell, Congratulations to Jacob Zuma for resigning his position as South African leader. Aside corruption scandals, this same man impregnated his cabinet member’s daughter. Infact his close friend who us also a minister in his cabinet. Dizzy-dick crockasian breed.
Change will come soon and African young leaders will take over.
Jotham Ayuba Writes From Kaduna
jotham.agwam@gmail.com
08022978425