Dennis Ogu

A few days ago, there was rumour of coup d’etat in Cote d’Ivoire which was later found out to be an uprising and nationwide protest against their president, Mr Alassane Ouatarra.
Recall that the same man who complained about his immediate predecessor, Mr Laurent Gbagbo’s excesses and long stay in office; used protests and all weapons of propaganda to push him out of office with the aid of the French government.
Yet he is repeating the very same thing he complained about for which the latter was ousted from office. But the question is: Does he think his people will tolerate his wrong doings because he doesn’t bear the name of his predecessor?
This was the same uprising that removed the former president of Gabon, Mr Ali Bongo, from office some months ago, after many years his family occupied the seat of power without any impactful achievement in the country.
Also, in Mali, there was a heated fight between two military factions that eventually ousted the former president and ushered in the current president, Gen. Assimi Goita. This may not be new to Africa since independence.
However, outside Africa, Mr Bashar Al-Assad of Syria whose family had ruled his country for decades had to face a protracted and spirited push from his people before he was eventually forced out of office.
Has it dawned on power-hungry leaders that the power of the people supersedes that of the leader? Even when combined with the machinations of their power brokers and the support of their external allies, does it still cross their mind that the power of the people is greater?
It is regrettable that when the people give power to their leaders, these same leaders turn around to use the power against the people that gave it to them. Does it mean that what happens in politics and governance is an anthropological or social manifestation and, may be, justification of Lenz’s Law in Physics which states that “an induced emf (electromagnetic force) flows in such a way as to oppose its source.”
Sadly, people hardly learn from history obviously for poor reading culture. There is this African adage that “when a person takes what belongs to a child and raises his hand, a time will surely come when his hand will start aching him and he will be forced to bring it down.”
Therefore, there is no way a person will be on the seat of power forever; a time will surely come when death, weakness or the people’s decision will certainly take him away from the seat.
It has happened to many in the past, both the good and the bad, but due to lust for power and luxury, some of the current leaders in Africa and other countries of the world have failed to learn. It happened to Adolph Hitler of Germany, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire(Congo), Yakubu Gowon of Nigeria, Sanni Abacha of Nigeria, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Muamar Ghaddafi of Libya. The list is very long.
It must be clearly stated that every position a person occupies should serve a purpose in the life of that person and that of others who have a stake in that position. People should learn to aspire for the seat of power with a sense of purpose and responsibility, not for the fringes like the luxury and accolades that come with it. They should also know when to quit.
When a public office holder is reluctant to leave office, it is an indication that he has not made any positive impact and has nothing to offer. Political leaders should be taught that it is not just power that is transient, the opportunity to make an impact is also transient.
If African leaders were open to learning, the case of Bashar Al-Assad of Syria would by now serve as a lesson to all of them. Nobody enjoys a retrogressive and sit-tight pattern of governance except those who are in the government itself. So keeping aside the big grammar our leaders speak to cover their sins, every leader should sincerely ask himself what his people have benefited from his leadership or representation. Any gift somebody has or any position a person occupies which does not benefit the people around him, that gift or occupation of such position is useless. Aristotle said that “an unexamined life is not worth living.”
Abraham Lincoln also, once said that “you can’t fool all the people all the time.”
Every sit-tight leader should understand that if he can keep at bay those he conquered with his oratory and military might at the beginning of his reign, a time will definitely come when a crop of people will rise who were not there to witness the strength that shot him to power but are already angered by his poor policies and lack-lustre style of leadership. These are the people that will sit him up or kick him out of office and he may not be able to stop them.
Let every political leader understand that leadership position is one that once ascended, there is urgent need to do for the people that which they cannot ordinarily do for themselves. It is a position that demands that the leader takes decisions for his people, not for himself. It is a position that requires the leader to fight for the people’s trust and respect. Truly it is not Abraham’s bosom or a retirement lodge.