'KING' GADDAFI OF AFRICA WITH HIS LESSER CHIEFS?

Something is definitely wrong with this picture where all the charlatans of Africa are assembled and posing with Libya's 'King' Gaddafi of Africa. Worst still all the depots of Africa are in the front row while those presidents that really matter in Africa are no where to be found; except for the fedora-hat President Jonathan of Nigeria who maintained a near inconspicuous second row position far left. Egyptians' Hosni Mubrak is no where to be seen and so is South Africa's Jacob Zuma the other two African countries in addition to Nigeria of any real net worth and value in Africa; and you wonder what Mugabe and Yoweri brings to the table in Africa that they should share the coveted front row position with King Gaddafi of Africa?

MUAMMAR GADDAFI, A VOICE OF REASON?

Truth can sometimes come out of imbeciles and such could be said of an African petty-dictator, somewhere in the Sahara desert! The once enemy number-one of the west, former terrorists' comforter, maximum ruler of Libya and current chairman of the African Union recently voiced an opinion towards solving African internecine warfare? Muammar Gaddafi advocated for dictatorships throughout Africa to keep the people in check? Icheoku wonders, if this Bedouin-Arab has been cavorting with the likes of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Egypt's Mubarak, Gabon's Omar Bongo as well as other petty African dictators?

Icheoku says, Gaddafi's position is somewhat weighty and merits some consideration, provided however that such emerging dictators are benevolent ones! Mummar Gaddafi's argument is trite and cannot be faulted into-to; admitted it will be somewhat a very difficult proposition to sell in the African continent where every little minion wants a private fiefdom for his personal indulgence. According to this pain in the behind of western governments, Africa is essentially tribal in nature and political parties are usually not very cohesive as most of them are founded along these tribal lines. These natural fault-lines are permanent and continuing, and so it is very easy to instigate a losing political party into a mayhem in any given country in Africa. The ensuing bloodshed between these tribes masked as political parties is what African democracy have sadly become today. Tribes engaging one another in a fight to finish simply because they lost an election, which they would interpret as their tribes losing face; based on primordial and subsisting tribal animosities and feudal antagonism from centuries gone by. This is akin to 1979 Nigeria, where political parties such as AG under Awolowo was seen as a Yoruba party, NPP under Azikwe was seen as Igbo party and NPN was seen as Hausa-Fulani party because of Shehu Shagari and Umaru Dikko; although it was the party with the most national outlook? Fortunately today, Nigeria's political parties are succeeding to an extent in melting down these tribal lines?

Gaddafi also called on African countries to copy his Libyan-example where he has been the sole captain of state since 1969; with zero tolerance for any dissenting viewpoint? Icheoku says, dissenting viewpoints should be allowed in order to keep such "dictator-leader" within his promise to the people, otherwise he/she will go astray. Also Gaddafi called for a United States of Africa with a single military force, a single currency and a single passport for Africans to move freely around the continent! Icheoku says, this well articulated idea by Gaddafi is a noble one which deserves to be looked into with every seriousness. When viewed against the backdrop of the European Union's mantra, 'an attack on one is attack on all' and their common Euro currency experience, then it makes every sense to clobber African states into one formidable political entity. Agreeing with Gaddafi that Africa do not have any political structures but merely social structures, Icheoku says, a real thriving democracy is near impossible in Africa. This is because tribal unification under a political party is almost impossible as tribes cannot easily forgo existing rivalries/competition amongst themselves and always view each other with disdainful suspicion.

Admitted there are certain advantages of a democracy over a dictatorship, but a benevolent-dictator could still deliver the so called "dividends of democracy" as would an elected government, to the people. All that is needed is patriotism and love of country on the part of the emerging dictator, who in council with elders and other political elites can map out strategy to move their respective countries forward. But the integration of political assets will be a strategic good move, in order to give Africa the much needed but missing clout to play in the international arena.

Icheoku says, Muammar Gaddafi is either an African patriot with a burning desire to see Africa triumph or he is a petty-dictator scheming for a much larger empire/kingdom to morph his power into a phantom menace! Either way, Gaddafi could be right as Africa urgently needs a baby-sitter to coral all the stateless and ungoverned areas of Africa such as Nigeria's Niger Delta, Somalia, Western Polisario, Darfur, Congo, Zimbabwe, Uganda, etc?

Icheoku says, O African Union, hearken to Muammar Gaddafi and let the rebirth begin!