Question about recent events in africa and its history?

I am writing a paper about the colonization of Africa as related to the recent events in both egypt and libya. Can anyone in a brief summary/synopsis relate either Muorburak's and/or Ghadafi's reluctance to step down and also the revolt/civil unrest that followed in their respective countries to either the british, roman or italian empires colonization, rule, and ultimate withdrawal from the countries they colonized?