So, in Africa, people are scared of their dictators.
Greetings to you, too, bro, Kerenite.
Well, people in some countries, like in Equatorial Guinea, are scared of their dictator, as a few of these dictators are ruthless, while others in many other countries have a laissez-faire attitude, leaving things to take their own course without interfering and prefer to live in hope, fearing that they might lose the little they've got. There are also cases in which the population in a country is fragmented and divided into groups/tribes/ethnics and do not share a common goal or interest, as some represent a backbone of their dictator. There are also a few other factors, including the West helping dictators crush their opponents and/or portraying opponents of repressive regimes as a mortal threat to the West, and the fact that there's a general lack of alternative serious leadership in Africa, as most of those in the opposition are simply a bunch of power-hungry politicians itching to just take their turn.
As they say, "every people get the government they deserve". If we keep having dictators and incompetent and corrupt so-called heads of state in Africa, I believe it's because that's what we deserve, because we're not doing much to change this protracted chaotic status quo.
No, I haven't heard of the Egyptian adage before, but it's spot on.