The Lion and The Jungle: Musings From Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s military may not be sophisticated in terms of weaponry and the art of modern warfare, but what it lacks in hardware components, it has compensated for it in maturity, decorum and caution. What could have spilled over to a state of anomie has become a precedence for upholding democratic values in Africa. Mugabe’s initial resistance and the seemingly disappearing acts of “Gucci” Grace Mugabe, his wife is a reflection of the do or die nature of many African leaders who become drunk with power and so insensitive to the yearnings and sufferings of the masses by using state apparatus to hold on to power. The story of the lion in the jungle in Igbo tradition reflects the African leader’s loss of his territorial powers and strength to the same people he claims to protect. “The Lion claims to be the king of the jungle, but when the jungle is on fire, the lion will be on the run” the proverb ends by asking the question, “can the lion be greater than the jungle? It’s a dance of ...