The ousted Libyan leader, Col. Muammar Gaddafi once told the National Executive of Uganda’s ruling party – NRM that “Revolutionaries don’t retire”. Gaddafi said this while addressing delegates at the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni on 12th of May, 2001 at the International Conference Centre in Kampala.

In his own response, President Museveni described Gaddafi’s idea as “Food for Thought”. This has over the years influenced the decision of some African leaders to stay too long in power. To such leaders, incumbency has a special reward. An incumbent can beat his opponents using various means either through violence or constitutional means.

Col. Muammar Gaddafi toppled King Idris some 42 years ago. Since then, he has remained President and a Monarch over his people. For this long period, the people have been watching and waiting, and now they are saying, enough is enough.

Even when well meaning world leaders and organisations like the United Nations pleaded with Gaddafi to step down, his reaction was defiant. The blood of innocent people he shed 42 years ago appears to have entered his head. This is why he could roll out war tanks and jet fighters against the people he ruled for 42 years. He forgets former US John F. Kennedy’s warning that those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

It will be recalled that Gaddafi had once declared war against the world’s super power, the United States of America. In December, 1985 the ELAL (Israel) Airline ticket counters in both Rome and Vienna were bombed simultaneously killing thirteen people, most of them Americans. International efforts to trace the financing and training facilities of the increasingly professional terrorists led to evidence that Libya and her fanatical leader, Muammar Gaddafi were responsible for the attack.

This made former US President Reagan to severe all official ties against the Libya. In return, Gaddafi threatened war with United States. For this reason, President Reagan called the Libyan leader “the Mad Dog of the Middle East” and ordered US bombers based to bomb Tripoli-the-capital of Libya. In a raid, a section of the city was bombed and Gaddafi’s headquarters was hit. Fifteen people were killed, including the fifteen-month-old daughter of Gaddafi.

Why most African leaders enjoy such show of power and want to answer president for life, baffles my imagination. Reasonable world leaders see it as madness.

Throughout the heydays of the obnoxious apartheid regime in South Africa, Nelson Mandela led the African National Congress against the whites who did not have regards for the Blacks. He was kept behind bars for 27 years for fighting against racism. Even when he was elected the first black president of his country after his release, Mandala declined a second term. He likened the presidency to another prison.

Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States between 1801 and 1809 also rejected a re-election bid. He wrote that “Never did a prisoner released from his chains feel such relief as I on shaking off the shackles of power. I thank God for the opportunity of retiring from them without censure, and carrying with me the most consoling proof of public approbation”.

William Howard Taft, the 27th President of United States, (1909 – 1913) is another example of exemplary leadership. He said that he found the presidency the “lonesomest place in the world.” President Taft achieved his greatest distinction as the only former president to be appointed Chief Justice of the United States between 1921 and 1930. These few examples have shown that there is nothing spectacular in remaining in power for two long, let alone forever.

Human beings naturally get tired of seeing the same face for too long, no matter your achievements.

Hanging onto power for too long is like wearing old clothes and shoes at all times. People get tired of wearing them and may abandon them in the wardrobes.

It is a common knowledge that no leader is indispensable. What is reasonable of a good leader is to leave while the ovation is loudest.

What is happening in Egypt and Libya right now is a clear signal that it is not good to hang on to power indefinitely. That the 83 year old President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt is now in court facing trial and that the strongman of Libya, Col. Muammar Gaddafi is now hiding in an unknown place, is a  “Food for Thought”.

We only hope that other African leaders like, Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola, Teodoro Obinag Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Yowei Museveni of Uganda would learn from the mistakes of Mubarak and Gaddafi and take the good step of Nelson Mandela, rather than wait to be kicked out.

Ichoku is a retired Director, Rivers State Ministry of Information.

Anthony Ichoku