The defeat of Yahya Jammeh signals intent by Africans to rid dictators

This week the people of Gambia awoke from their political slumber and the usual complacence to take control of their lives. They kicked out through the ballot Yahya Jammeh a leader who had vowed to rule the country for life. Thankfully his 22 years rule came to abrupt halt.

The message which Gambians have courageously and eloquently delivered to Yahya Jammeh is applicable to shameless African tyrants such as Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Teodoro Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, Omar Bashir of Sudan and others whom you know by their deeds! Like Yahya, the days of these enemies of the African revolution are numbered.

Jammeh had kept the West African country under an iron grip for over two decades, and there were fears that the 51-year-old would use violence to maintain power. But in unexpected move the dictator accepted defeat and hopefully he will follow-up by handing over power to the president elect Adama Barrow.

One of the great lessons of the past two decades is that political changes that ensure lasting peace and guarantee freedom and human rights have come through varied ways including victories and efforts employed by the opposition. When people are fed up with corruption, poverty, unemployment and human rights abuses they slowly and quietly choose to punish the perpetrators of such deeds through the ballot.

African dictators must know there comes a point and time when the people can no longer take oppression from their leaders. More often, it takes a long time for the oppressed to finally say it is enough. But when they do, the effect is celebrated far and wide. Dictators Bring Death to Africa, true leaders should have the nerve to serve their people, democratic states should have the nerve to be pioneers of this freedom and we should have the nerve to be African. Africa is slowly rising from the ashes and shadows perpetuated by dictators and when the sun rises we will wake up to a continent of prosperous nations.