25 Oct 2009 |
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A Picture Of African Leadership Dennis Sassou-Nguesso, the President of Congo-Brazzaville has offered to the world yet another picture of leadership in Africa that is worse than ugly. A book purportedly written by him titled Straight Speaking From Africa has just been disowned by the Nelson Mandela Foundation for wrongly attributing to Mr Nelson Mandela a foreword to it that had not been written by him. The Foundation accusses Mr Sassou-Nguesso and his publishers of abusing Mandela's name, putting his name on a book that he has neither seen nor read. "This is a false claim...Mr Mandela has neither read the book nor written a foreword for it. We condemn this brazen abuse of Mr Mandela's name." Mr. Mandela's name is in fact emblazoned on the book's cover, with the Madiba credited as the author of these words: "In President Dennis Sassou Nguesso, I recognize a man who is not only one of our great African leaders ... but also one of those who gave their unconditional support to our fighters' demand for freedom, and who worked tirelessly to free oppressed peoples from their chains and help restore their dignity and hope." The appointed protectors of Mr Mandela's legacy have every reason to disown these words because they do not in any way apply to the subject. Using another man's name for image laundering purposes without his permission is considered odious in civilised communities. And to think this is coming from a man who occupies such high office is condemnable. Michel Lafon, the publishers of the book, owe the reading public an apology for serving them a fake foreword. The book should be withdrawn and the foreword that has been wrongly attributed to Mr. Mandela should be removed. Obviously, Sassou-Nguesso is looking for endorsement and he is anxious about his place in history. What is true is that he is not "one of our great African leaders." Sassou-Nguesso came to power in 1979 and since then he has turned himself into a noose around the neck of Congo-Brazzaville. He was forced out of office in 1992 through a Constitutional referendum but five years later, precisely on October 25, 1997, Nguesso returned to power after organising a civil war which pitched his personal army, the Cobras against the state army, leading to the removal of Pascal Lissouba, the then incumbent President. Dennis Sassou-Nguesso is an African despot, one of those strange characters who believe that political power is their birthright. There is nothing great about his leadership style. He has not promoted his people's "demand for freedom" and in no way has he helped to free oppressed people, not to talk of restoring human dignity and hope. Under his watch, Congo-Brazzavillle is rated as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. It is also one of the poorest. Dennis-Nguesso and his immediate family members are very rich. When they travel abroad, they run up room service charges that is in excess of the foreign aid to the country. This is not the kind of man that Mr Nelson Mandela should dignify with a foreword to his book and certainly not with such kind words as has been reported. The Mandela Foundation's disclaimer should drive home the point about the need for good leadership in Africa. African leaders are very good at faking everything. They give us fake elections, fake leadership, fake policies, fake economy, fake government, fake attitudes and now, the man from Congo-Brazzaville can't even do a proper book, he has to add a fake foreword! Dennis-Nguesso has nothing straight to talk about. First, he should give democracy a chance in his country. Second, he should allow the people's will to prevail. Third, he should do way with his greed. Since 1997, he has continuously suppressed the people, organising renewal elections that are mostly boycotted by the opposition. He should set his country straight before he starts talking about being straight. Comprenez vous, Monsieur le President?.. Ha ha.. ha ... Bien.
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