On June 1 Kenyans marked 58 years since they were granted internal self-rule by the British colonialists (Madaraka Day). A thousand miles away Iranians today mark their own kind of Madaraka Day.
They remember a man who gave his all in the service of Iran, freedom, justice and self-determination to the Iranian people. They call him the Great Liberator, the great leader of all time. The man behind the establishment of the Islamic Republic system in Iran and a man who granted them internal self-rule and independence.
Ayatollah Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini, better known as Imam Khomeini, engineered Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, which led to the overthrow of the US-backed Shah of Iran.
He defeated and repelled the US government, which had defined strategic interests in Iran. Imam Khomeini passed away on June 3, 1989, at the age of 87, but 32 years later the Revolution continues to bear fruits of prosperity and honour.
Undeniably, the wise leadership of Imam Khomeini and that of his successor, Ayatollah Khamenei, coupled with Iranian people’s faith have been the chief factors behind this victory.
His victory shows itself in the solidity of the Islamic government, in the survival of the Islamic Republic, and in the growth, development, and progress of the Islamic government.
Many of his visions came true after his demise: national self-worth and self-sufficiency; scientific, technological, and political progress; and the expansion of influence that the country and the Islamic Republic achieved in the vast region of West Asia and North Africa.
These visions made into a reality are a symbol of victory stemming from Imam’s discourse, path, and method. No wonder Imam Khomeini is as described by the current supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei , ‘an ever-living reality’.
He revived Divine, humane values through his words and actions and so became a symbol of Divinely-guided leadership and an unforgettable model of struggle in God’s way and for saving Iranians from the yoke of tyranny, domineering powers and corruption.
He still lives in the hearts of not only the Iranian nation, but also all freedom-fighting, justice seeking nations.
Iran Cultural Council, Nairobi
