By Temitope Ajayi
Robert Mugabe former President of Zimbabwe and anti-colonialist struggle icon made his country one of the best in economy and in the field of education in his first 10years.
If he had left in 1995 when his decline started he would have been one of the greatest statesmen on earth. Messianic complex set in. Vaunting ambition to rule for life and entitlement mentality derailed him. By the year 2000, Zimbabwe had started a massive and spiral decline to the abyss and the country never recovered till he was unceremoniously pushed out of power in a military backed insurrection against his rule in 2017. Here is a man, who is one of the most educated leaders in the world, with multiple degrees and honours, who made his country and also destroyed it.
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He wanted the place of Mandela. He struggled to be like him. It was even reported he was jealous of Mandela at a time because he felt he did as much as Mandela if not more for Zimbabwe too. He was more educated than Mandela to boot. He couldn’t understand why only Mandela was getting the accolades in the whole of Africa.
The difference between the two leaders was choices. A leader must know when it is enough and bow out gracefully.
Bye from this side of eternity to the ‘great’ Bob and hope the last two years helped him reconnect with his Maker.
