The Book of Life

pages of wisdom serious charges, including ordering the killing of 40 people and handing out millions of dollars in bribes from the state treasury. The State Prosecutor, Gabriel Mboudou, told the criminal court in Bangui that after the crimes of Bokassa’s 14-year rule, it was necessary to sentence him to death. On 8 June 1987, Bokassa appeared in court and said: “Today, I only want to live in peace as a simple citizen.” If a person chooses contentment, he never has to face disgrace or failure. CHURCHILL’S TRIBUTE S ir Winston Churchill (1874–1965) was one of Britain’s most distinguished statesmen. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945. Western historians note that he led Britain from near defeat to victory in World War II. Churchill was a leader in war, not in peace. The political awareness of the British people deserves recognition, for immediately after the war, when general elections were held, they did not vote for their wartime hero. They believed Churchill was not the right person to lead the nation’s reconstruction. Churchill possessed many striking qualities. One of them was described by Mrs. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit in