, 8 tweets, 5 min read Read on Twitter
Our #African rulers don't just want unseemly opulence on earth while in power; many of them also apparently enjoy marbled sepulchres for their abode in the hereafter. Mobutu Sense Seko, who's buried in far-away Morocco resides in one. He's in good company though...
Two pioneers of the Independence struggle, Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah in Accra & Mzee Jomo Kenyatta in Nairobi, rest in pretty "befitting" surroundings. But, you may say their mausoleums are also fitting national monuments for founders of their respective countries.
Like Nkrumah & Jomo Kenyatta, Mgwazi, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda led his country, Malawi, to Independence & died outside his country in Johannesburg, South Africa. This necro-palace is his most lasting legacy it seems.
We can say Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta & Kamuzu Banda led their respective countries to Independence. Poor Zambia has to foot the bills for these expensive graves for Fred Chiluba & Levi Mwanwasa. Kenneth Kaunda who led Zambia to Independence & preceded both in office remains alive.
Malawi's 3rd President, Mgwazi Bingu wa Mutharika, who was buried in a state of semi-putrefaction, nevertheless resides under a dome in death. Laurent Kabila in DRC has his own shrine.
Soon enough, we'll get to see what the final resting place of #RobertMugabe will look like. Interestingly, he may go down in the records as the 1st of his peers to be interred in 2 sepulchres. Meanwhile, ordinary Zimbabweans struggle for a meal every 2 or more days.
These necro-palaces shd not be routine. Ethiopia's Emperor Hails Selassie, who was probably smothered to death in Ether by his successor, Col. Mengistu, in 1975 & interred 25 yes later in 2000, has a modest headstone. So does Cameroon's founding President, Ahmadou Ahidjo in Dakar
Beyond #Africa, they must laugh at us - the Presidents & Prime Ministers who subsidised the palates of our opulent rulers lie underneath modest headstones from Churchill to Khrushchev.
Missing some Tweet in this thread?
You can try to force a refresh.

Like this thread? Get email updates or save it to PDF!

Subscribe to Chidi Odinkalu
Profile picture

Get real-time email alerts when new unrolls are available from this author!

This content may be removed anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime, convert it as a PDF, save and print for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video

1) Follow Thread Reader App on Twitter so you can easily mention us!

2) Go to a Twitter thread (series of Tweets by the same owner) and mention us with a keyword "unroll" @threadreaderapp unroll

You can practice here first or read more on our help page!

Follow Us on Twitter!

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just three indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3.00/month or $30.00/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!