Mobutu Sese Seko

"A president must be willing to make difficult and unpopular decisions"

"The West fears a strong African leader who refuses to be controlled"

"Patience is the virtue of a wise ruler waiting for the right moment"

"I built my empire on loyalty and the fear of my enemies"

"National unity requires that all bow before the leader's will"

"Success requires the willingness to do what others will not"

"A leader who shows weakness invites his own destruction"

"I have given everything to build this nation from nothing"

"The people must have faith in their leader or chaos will follow"

"True power lies not in weapons but in controlling people's minds"

"I am a nationalist first, and everything else comes second"

"A nation's strength is reflected in its leader's vision"

"Those who oppose me oppose the progress of our nation"

"I have lived to see my vision of Zaïre become reality"

"Courage is standing alone against those who would destroy your nation"

"The people will remember me as the father of modern Zaïre"

"A true leader creates lasting institutions that outlive him"

"I have never wavered in my commitment to national sovereignty"

"Discipline in the ranks ensures discipline in the nation"

"My enemies underestimated my will to survive and succeed"

"Knowledge is power, and I have always sought to increase my knowledge"

"A leader must be omnipresent in the minds and hearts of his people"

"I transformed a colonial possession into an independent nation"

"The measure of a man is his ability to overcome adversity"

"I have made peace with my enemies when it served the nation's interest"

"A strong currency reflects a strong leader and strong nation"

"I believe in the natural order where the strong lead and the weak follow"

"Time is a weapon for those patient enough to wield it"

"My legacy will be a nation forever changed by my vision"

"I have shown that an African leader need not answer to the West"