The messiah complex in politics is the feeling or conviction which, even though delusional, often leads politicians to think that they are the One and the only One through whom a country may receive salvation. Because a politician sees himself or herself as the only One through whom a country may receive salvation, they do all in their power to remain in power because, as matters stand, there is no one who can replace them. Anyone who replaces them will of course take the country down the wrong track and descend into hell! Nobody wants that! This messiah complex is by no means limited to African politicians as it is found all over the world, especially in the lives of dictators. The thing with dictatorship is that the dictator sees no viable future after him/her. Having been sent as the One to redeem his/her people, the dictator of course knows that no one else may receive a similar commission because there is only one Sender and the worldview under which they work is not heterogeneous. Some countries have attempt to address the messiah complex by instituting term limits for political offices. However, in some African countries like Burundi, Rwanda, Cameroon, those term limits are not worth the papers on which they are written.
The problem with the messiah complex is that ordinary people often do not recognize the messiah. They often see him or her as an ordinary person, prone to corruption like everyone else. They do not see the messiah, as the messiah sees himself or herself, as someone who has no sin. So ordinary people often have the effrontery to challenge the messiah's homogeneity. This is what is currently happening in Rwanda and Burundi - ordinary people, oblivious of the messiah in their midst, dare to think that he is an ordinary person, they dare harbor the wish to replace him. Since our hope for our politicians is not that they should enable us to go to heaven when we die, we need just ordinary, fallible people, to provide us bread and butter here on earth. We do not need messiahs. Is that too much to ask?
The problem with the messiah complex is that ordinary people often do not recognize the messiah. They often see him or her as an ordinary person, prone to corruption like everyone else. They do not see the messiah, as the messiah sees himself or herself, as someone who has no sin. So ordinary people often have the effrontery to challenge the messiah's homogeneity. This is what is currently happening in Rwanda and Burundi - ordinary people, oblivious of the messiah in their midst, dare to think that he is an ordinary person, they dare harbor the wish to replace him. Since our hope for our politicians is not that they should enable us to go to heaven when we die, we need just ordinary, fallible people, to provide us bread and butter here on earth. We do not need messiahs. Is that too much to ask?
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