Let's make this birthday one to remember.

87 years old (Born on May 27, 1937)

Mengistu Haile Mariam, happy birthday! While your leadership style might have been controversial (to put it mildly), no one can deny you had a knack for making headlines. Who else could rock military fatigues and Marxist rhetoric with such flair? Your speeches alone were legendary—lengthy enough to make Fidel Castro jealous!

Though retirement in exile isn't exactly the pinnacle of success you'd planned on, you've certainly mastered longevity away from politics—a feat many former leaders envy. Here's hoping this year brings fewer revolutions and more relaxation; after all those turbulent years leading Ethiopia's Derg regime, surely you've earned some peace...and cake!