22nd November, 2017
A Benin-based constitutional lawyer, Mr Olayiwola Afolabi, on Wednesday, described the ouster of the 93-year-old President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, as a lesson for sit-tight African leaders.
Mugabe resigned on Tuesday, following the resolve of the country’s parliament to begin the process of his impeachment.
Afolabi said that whatever good achievements recorder by Mugabe over the years could no longer be celebrated because of his sit-tight attitude to governance.
According to him, the resignation is good for democracy and it is also a lesson for other African leaders to know when to step down, especially when the ovation is loudest.
“Of course, he did some good things but all his achievements will never be remembered for good governance. He will only be remembered for bad leadership because of the way he was pushed out of office.
“It is good to know when to step down, when your name is in gold, that is when you ought to go, so that when you die, your family will live on your good legacy,” Afolabi said.
On the role of the military in the ouster, the lawyer said it was good for democracy, as it was an indication that the soldiers contributed to the country’s struggle for good governance.