The Libyan dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi would have celebrated the 42 years he seized power in Libya, today, Thursday, if he had not been sent out of his palace by the rebels who waged war against his government.
Gaddafi seized power in a coup d’etat on September 1, 1969, and afterwards, the anniversary was always occasioned with fanfare.
After he seized power, Gaddafi imposed socialist policies and Islamic orthodoxy on the country.
During the celebration his 40th anniversary, Gaddafi adorned the streets of Libya with his pictures, displaying images of his younger days as army officer.
As a self-styled philosopher, Gaddafi portrayed himself as the “king of all African kings.”
Immediately after he took absolute control of power in Libya, he went ahead to eliminate any known opposition, thereby restricting lives of ordinary Libyans.
His ideology was termed the Third International Theory and it was described in the Green Book.
During his reign, he was leading advocate for a United States of Africa, and between February 2, 2009 to January 31, 2010 Gaddafi served as chairperson of the African Union (AU).
The United Nations (UN) declared Libya pariah state because of Gaddafi’s defiant nature, disregard for human rights laws and offensive diplomatic moves.
Consequently, other UN-member countries followed suit, as they established different sanctions against Gaddafi.
In February, this year, the revolution in the Arab world spread to Libya and a movement mostly made up of youths and members of the opposition began a protest against Gaddafi’s dictatorial rule.
However, Gaddafi, in his usual way, dispatched the military forces to attack demonstrators he later christened “rats.”
The uprising later escalated to what is today known as Libya civil war, and on August 23, six months after, Gaddafi lost control of Tripoli to the rebels who captured his Bab al-Azizia compound.
Gaddafi’s whereabouts still remains unknown, but some members of his family have fled to Algeria, where his daughter, Aisha gave birth to a baby girl on Tuesday.
The Libyan dictator, Gaddafi has been declared wanted, with a £1 million ransom announced by the rebels as a reward for anyone who can offer information leading to his arrest.
If found, Gaddafi is expected to face prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC), for war crimes.
Libyans, on Wednesday celebrated the end of Gaddafi’s dictatorial rule and Ramadan feast without any form of intimidation from Gaddafi and his military forces.
But the forces loyal to Gaddafi are defying the Saturday ultimatum set by Libya’s interim council for them to surrender.(Nigerian Tribune)
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