Betraying the Future

President Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan renamed the months of the year after members of his family (and other historical figures). January became Turkmenbashi (Father of the Turkmen), after a title he awarded himself.

Niyazov died in 2006. His successor, President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, has just ordered the months to revert to their former names. It is not clear if there are any plans to remove or alter any of the country's golden statues to Niyazov.