Now that Libyan dictator Moummar Ghadaffi has been done away with, the whole of Africa is suddenly singing his praises. He was the guy who tamed the West for so many decades, ensuring his nation’s wealth of human resources was completely deployed for the good of the citizens of the country from which the resources were removed.

Late Gadaffi

Surely, there is a lesson or three many of Africa’s leaders, dictators and non dictators alike, can learn from Ghaddaffi’s loyalty, if that word can be used. One, is that a leader, by definition, ought to have a mind of his own.

A leader ought to put the interests of the people he leads before those of outsiders. Most important of all, a leader must know that no matter how good his intentions, he will lose his people if he cannot have conversations with them. Democracy wins in the end.

Boko Haram and the Question of Sovereignity

There is no arguing the  fact, now, that Boko Haram has gone out of hand. The sallah bombings have proved, if anything, a departure from the Al Qaeda style, desecrating the Id by the dastardly mass slaughter of Moslems.

These people have for regard or love for anybody, Moslems and Christians, and appear to be a group of psychopaths, who have access to an unlimited amount of money and are able to therefore buy the services of poverty stricken Nigerians who feel they have no choice. We also know that the country is not prepared for this new hazard.

File photo: Suspected Boko Haram members after their arrest.

The good news in this is that they are likely not as organized as they had been thought to be.

Reports from the American end telling us about planned bombings in Abuja hotels has left both government and the citizenry bewildered. The ‘camera approach’ has not put paid to the general fear, and Sallah was low key in Abuja this year, giving the terrorists the upper hand: the main aim of terrorism is to drive fear into people.

Clearly, those worried about sovereignty must at this point realize that terrorism is one of the less sweet fruits of globalization, and we need those with experience to guide us, at whatever cost.