"But in today's Congo, which is politically unstable and plagued by seemingly endless armed conflict, there's a growing sense of nostalgia for the comparatively peaceful years of Mobutu's reign. An exhibit celebrating the former dictator's life opened recently in the capital Kinshasa, and it's proven a surprising success. "To be sure, his reign wasn't appreciated by everyone," says Marie-Ange Makeya, an 18-year-old architecture and urbanism student visiting the exhibit. "But at least the country was respected, and there was no war," she adds."
"Mobutu seized power in a coup in 1965, and within a few years, he had established a one-party state and a personality cult. State television broadcasts used to begin with an image of Mobutu in the clouds. Backed by Western powers for his staunch anti-communism, Mobutu sought to forge a new national identity after Congo's independence from Belgium in 1960, even banning Western-style suits and names as part of his campaign."
Large photographs of Mobutu Sese Seko draw young visitors at the national museum in Kinshasa. Mobutu ruled Zaire for over 30 years after seizing power in the 1960s, cultivating a personality cult and one-party state while enjoying Western support for his anti-communism. He promoted a national identity through bans on Western suits and names even as massive corruption enriched him and ordinary people struggled. A recent Kinshasa exhibit honoring his life has attracted surprising interest and sparked nostalgia for perceived order and respect during his rule, despite recognition of repression and extravagance.
Read at www.npr.org
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