Just as fearless challenges are unacceptable, the one who was always revered as the Arab leader, the lover of the white lion, Mummar Al-Qaddafi who had good undetailed, detailed intentions for Libyans and Africa at large led a bloodless coup with a flock of young Libyan armies against King Idris 1. Like every other Africa countries with the exception of Liberia and Ethiopia, Libya was under the tutulage and claws of foreign rule for centuries until it gained independence in 1951, soon after crude oil was discovered which dramatically changed how poor the libyans were in natural resources.
Al-Qaddafi:”America May Hang Us One Day”
As a colonel, the long-ruling leader seized power in 1961 and espoused an idiosyncratic Political ideology deeply rooted in socio- economic egalitarianism as well as direct democracy. Nonetheless, Mummar Al-Qaddafi had won several awards such as “Order of the Yugoslav star”,”Order Of Courage”,”Order of the grand conqueror” to mention a few. In 1977, Qaddafi transformed Libya into a new socialist state called JAMAHIRIYA, ‘State of the masses’ and officially adopted a symbolic role in governance but remained head of the military and the Revolutionary committee who were responsible for policing.
Against popular belief, Mummar Al-Qaddafi who was proclaimed as “Brutish” by the western media had infact guarded his people against foreign domination and exploitation. Libya which was also declared as “Gaddafi’s military dictatorship” was in actual fact one of the world’s most democratic nation -state, divided into smaller communities having autonomous state which had control over their district, making a range of decisions including how to allocate oil revenue and budgetry funds. Local institutions from the grassroot levels were not ignored although they were disenfranchised.
Mummar Al-Qaddafi intended on establishing a new Pan-African Currency based on the Libya Gold-Dinar, which would serve as an alternative to the U.S Dollars and Euros, creating a new Africa economic system, totally free from Dollar-dominated Western money that kept and keeps usurping Africa. Apparently, if the mission saw the light of the day, it would have devastated the U.S dollar hegemony which was totally unacceptable to the western leaders .
As hellish as they(the western power) portrayed Libya under Gaddafi, the Libyans enjoyed high standard of living to compensate them for the curtailed freedom to vote, as educational system and Medical treatment were appalling. Grants were provided for newly weds to buy their first apartment, though the procedures were tedious, but the $50,000 was intact if they followed through. Gaddafi’s “Green-book” Written by him as a guide for all Libyan people basically stated, “House is a basic need for both the individual and the family, therefore it should not be owned by others”. Heroic enough, he vowed never to secure a house for his parents until every citizen had one.
Also, the dictator did not impose any law on women, considering sensitivity of the Arabs, this was a big feat as women in Libya were free to work and dress as they liked, subject to family constraints.
Before his death, the Martyr condemned the invasion of Iraq, the killing of millions of people and the execution of Saddam Hussain without proper investigation, he had given illustrations on how Americans fought on the same side with Saddam Hussain against Khomeini and settled their forces in Arabian pennisula which showed their insincerity. Urging, the Arabs to Stand against the arrogant west and never be grounded into submission of the imperialists whims.
Things began to fall apart for the libyan leader following the U.S desire for Libyan oil and Gaddafi’s resistance to oil concession. Washington became frustrated with his speed of his liberalization, complaining of his lukewarm embrace of their interests. As events rolled by, Gaddafi was accused by the western nations to have been using power to attack civilians . The Libyans were misled and given the impression that their leader was ” Brutal” and ” Repressive”.
Subsequently, Gaddafi lost his grip of power after a Six- month uprising, initially meant for the release of a human right lawyer but later became a “walfare city” as U.S intervened to eradicate all form of Gaddafi’s influences. In 2011, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was on the mission to destroy the “Gaddafi’s state” by forming and arming rebels, launching a bombing campaign, enforcing a “No-Fly Zone” and firing strikes against his forces which also led to the death of some civilians in the market square as the capital was taken over by rebels. However Gaddafi’s refused to retreat nor surrender as he promised to “Fight till death” which he soon had to answer.
In no time, Gadaffi’s convoy was bombed killing one of his sons, then the reality dawned on him, that indeed the end has come. With no intention to ” retreat or surrender”, he hid inside a drained pipe but was pulled out and scenes of the leader who could barely breathe was captured.
Albeit, his initial assertion became true as he was also “hanged” by the Americans. Sadly, after his death, stability eludes Libya as frustration of life begins to mount daily on the libyans including the residents of the chaos wrecked country’s capital who have grown to miss the long time dictator, and the man who allegedly had violated the rights of some citizens by keeping his dead victims in coolers as trophies of his macabre exploits.
It is such a wonder how a man who could be a paradoxical figure. “Indeed in the darkest moments of our struggles when our backs were tied against the wall, Mummar Al-Qaddafi stood with us”.
Oluwaseun Atoyebi