AFRICA AND HER DICTATORS

Ever since my English literature class in my third year at the university, the poem “Look on His Works” by A.A Amoako has never left my memory. This splendid piece of literature was about Saddam Hussein. A.A Amoako started this poem, with the words; “The world loved to hate this Dictator and knew him more by his first name. A son of Adam, Adamant in his policies… He built adamantine walls around his foes……”

Yes, our world surely loves to hate its dictators. We only have to label someone as a dictator whether deserving or undeserving, and sooner or later, everyone learns to hate.

In a nation like Ghana, which cannot seem to find a leader who possesses the willpower to lead this nation higher, could a dictator not perhaps solve our problems? In all truth and fairness, who is a dictator? Can this word be defined solely based on terror or tyranny? Indeed, our society and livelihood, somewhat depends on fear because fear sometimes keeps people in check. It is the fear of a consequence that keeps people on the right. Is it always negative?

In our homes, we are all Saddams, Gaddafis, Mubaraks, in disguise. We are the terror of our homes. At our work places, it is no different. Most people thrive on dictatorship! Nonetheless, we are still loved and cherished because our loved ones and admirers understand that it is necessary. When people lack discipline, the disciplinarian, becomes a hero.

Several dictators have been killed by so-called Anti-corruption forces, at a cost, well known to us all. Who made them Anti-corruption, when they are themselves no saints? Today, these countries lie in peril and deprivation. Men like Saddam Hussein, Mohammed Al-Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, including our very own Dr. Kwame Nkrumah had certain qualities that cannot be matched up to, by leadership of today. They laboured to see their countries flourish, independently, without the interference or contribution of our so-called donor nations and have each paid the ultimate price.

Africa keeps sinking to all forms of dictatorship and yet, rather hypocritically, we cry foul to our own. For a fact, any loan or form of aid this continent has received has always come with a condition. Our governments are being told what to do all the time. Is there any better form of dictatorship?

The only true crime committed by our dictators is self-reliance and self-sufficiency!

Until recently, Egypt had a booming economy. One morning however, people had a sudden awakening that told them otherwise, and so, began a mighty crusade to get rid of their dictator. The country now lies in peril with more unrest, each day; they cannot seem to find a suitable leader. It so happened in great Libya; the envy of all! In the Libya of today however, not even the shadows of the past can be traced. The same goes for Iraq, Syria, to mention but a few.

Clearly, democracy has worked wonders for most nations, but again, can it work for all? Can it all be positive, considering how long it takes to reach a conclusive decision in this nation? Can democracy kill gross indiscipline and lawlessness? Can democracy truly enforce the law? Personally, I believe that democracy without its underlying responsibilities only creates convenient excuses for indiscipline. We stress on freedom and rights, without placing emphasis on responsibilities.

Most decisions taken under our current democratic governance are solely based on the views of the so-called majority in parliament; how different is that from a dictatorship? Collective dictatorship perhaps? Not all enjoy equal representation. Would dictators sit and watch as people trade off their countries? Would dictators sit and watch as people divide their countries on grounds of party politics? Would dictators sit and watch as government officials squander the nation’s wealth? Your guess is as good as mine. At least, under a dictatorship, we have a sole culprit, but under democracy, we have looters.

Like all dictators, mankind flourishes on power. We all want power! Our democratically elected leaders are walking in the exact footsteps of our dictators. How many of them listen to us? How many of them seek our approval in reaching certain decisions? The only difference is that, we actually endorse them; they have our votes; they are elected dictators!

Africa only sits and allows others to dictate to us, to hate our dictators. That is the irony of it all. We give room to democratic dictatorship! I am not here to beatify any dictator, but if indeed, there are qualities worth emulating, they deserve a bit of acknowledgement. Why are nations that brought down their dictators, still facing unrest? Were the dictators the real problem? Or was it the people themselves? Or were there external factors?

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com); esociocomm.blogspot.com, Takoradi.