Opinion
Lessons From Gaddafi’s Fall
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
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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