**
*“All men’s souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal
and divine” Socrates.*
Everything that has a beginning surely must have an end. The sun rose on
the 18th July, 1918 over South Africa, but a cloud tried to dim the light
of the sun in a rainbow country for good God two years more than a
ofquarter of a century. The power of the rays of the sun melted the
cloud and
emerged to light up the whole of South Africa, truly, a rainbow nation at
peace with herself and rest of the world.
Nelson Mandela had a star that emitted freedom, patience, forgiveness,
perseverance and hope. He offered his life on the altar of freedom for his
people at the expense of his own personal progress. The life of this global
icon is a lesson for many generations to come. His persona is synonymous to
sacrifice. His sacrifices made him the most famous political prisoner in
the world. This goes to confirm the saying of a Great philosopher that only
between two and six per cent of the individuals in any given society work
to INDUCE CHANGE and to transform the lives of the people. These are the
people who see beyond the now and routine way of doing things. Their focus
is societal transformation. That is the Madiba for you.
Rolihlahla served as a magnet around which multiple racially split South
Africa were united and led an isolated country which emerged from the
darkness of apartheid to represent the epicenter of human liberation. The
more the minority white community threw hatred at him, the more he threw
love at them. The greater the bitterness apartheid had for him, the
stronger he became. He found the need to forgive those who imprisoned him.
He is recommended to Pope Francis to be considered for a saint. Mandela has
indeed gone the mile many will not go. The whole world stood watching what
was going to be the lot of the white minority, when Mandela emerged from
prison but he acknowledged his captors on the day he was sworn in as the
first Black President of South Africa. Mandela is the best, because the
best is with the will to give, he gave peace and reconciliation a good
chance.
Politically his place is assured in history to have been a freedom fighter
that won democratic elections and served for only a term. African
politicians should buy this book of Mandela’s political life entitled
“Descend while the applause is loudest” The political leader should be and
remain a unifier of his people, as well as seeking the good of others.
The quest to live tomorrow should not give rise to sacrifice one’s duty to
his or her people. Your people look up to you irrespective of the
contribution you can offer. The Madiba, Mandela’s clan name never ignored
the peace and unity of his fellow countrymen and women for himself. He
preferred a nation than an island in the midst of the ocean. Mandela
connected the world to South Africa. His open arms which embraced white and
black South Africans made him the toast of the world. Tata is a bridge
which is connecting the black and white race, pulling down every fence.
When he walked on the streets of the South Western Townships, popularly
known as Soweto again it was indeed the spread of freedom, for he was the
embodiment of liberation. A giant of freedom seeking man for his people,
even before he was released from prison he held the hope of freedom for his
people. The captured was the hope of liberation to the free man on the
streets of South Africa. What a man, he lived to give hope and strength to
many. Wherever he went after his release thousands trouped to catch a
glimpse of him. Because many believed he traded his comfort for the many in
racial South Africa, a selfless man. When many had given up, Mandela
radiated hope and became the porter who molded the shattered dreams of his
people. No wonder he was the subject of many songs and poems in South
Africa and the rest of the world. For Mandela to shake the hand of the
person who sought for the death penalty for him, it was the highest point
of forgiveness. He went to prison in 1964 full of bitterness but came out
full of happiness and sweet smiles.
Gone but not forgotten, Nelson Mandela a man who had many parts, including
being a trained boxer, lawyer and a freedom fighter not rebel. He inspired
lots of people to persevere in whatever they do. As if Mandela knew that,
leadership is public transaction with history. Madiba really transacted
business well publicly.
90 Presidents and high ranking personalities from all over the world
converged in South Africa to mourn the first Black President of
post-apartheid South Africa. Same will travel to Qunu the home village of
Mr. Nelson Mandela where this great son of the African soil would be laid
to rest. Mandela’s death took over the world service programme of the
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service. How many people would
come from the city, town or village next to yours to mourn you? Would you
be a topic on the radio or FM station in your community? If Mandela can see
what is going on after his death, believe it he will be proud of the people
in whose stead he suffered for many years.
Rolihlahla will never be forgotten, he will live forever in our minds and
hearts. Generations would come to read about him in the book “Long walk to
freedom” and listen to stories of how Madiba walked on the streets of
Soweto again a freed man to liberate the last African nation from minority
rule and oppression.
Nelson Mandela will never leave our thoughts and conversations. Thanks to
God for given you to this part of the world. Your inspiration will live
with us forever. Yourself sacrifices has inured to the benefit of many
Africans in several ways. You are a gold mine of kindness and forgiveness.
We will not see Madiba physically again, but he will live with us in his
ideas, sayings, beliefs and personal dispositions. He was well aware, that
leadership is about disposition not position. The questions we all should
be asking ourselves are how have I served my people? How will I be
remembered by my people, when I’m gone, a person who shunned his or her
duties or took up challenges, a man of the people or what?
Mother earth should be kind with him and lie gently on his chest because he
was a good man. As he goes into the presence of his maker, he will be
bearing a sheet of paper which has the following words, ‘My Lord I appear
before your Holiness with all the fallibility of men, I am not a saint
though my people see me as such. I only got to know that in every human
generation there is someone who is expected to sacrifice the comfort and
lead in liberation of his people, the lot fell on me and I took the mantle
with ease. My Lord as I stand in your Holiness all I can say is I played my
role to liberate my people and they are freed forever. I can with your
Holiness permission describe myself as someone who performed his duties’
In spite of the above the United States of America had the guts to add
Nelson Mandela’s name to a list of global terrorist up until 2008. That was
unfortunate, useless, silly and pointless. May the good Lord forgive this
self-appointed holy nation that has been committing the most of atrocities
against humanity.
Nelson Mandela was never a coward and never run away in the face of a
challenge. So we will go on to face challenges in our own steps. He could
have pleaded for mercy during the trials in 1964 and chickened away. But
stood tall and admitted he was prepared to die for equality.
We will miss you forever. We will not see you again. Please go up and rain
on us courage, fortitude, resilience, ability, capability, and strong will,
sacrifice, standing for one’s nation, perseverance, kindness and
forgiveness. Madiba you should also help us fight inequality, hatred,
ethnic tendencies, corruption, racism, bitterness and enmity.
Nelson Mandela will live forever.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is gone but will never be forgotten.
Madiba sleep on my royal.
Tata we love you but God loves you most.
The way to love, forgiveness, kindness, sacrifice and courage is on the
street called “Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela”
When I a contributor to tributes from around the world passes on what will
be my lot? Lord help keep my feet in the footprints of this great man left
in sand.
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all
others” according to Antonio Titus Cicero, these words sums up our
appreciation to you Madiba for all the peace you brought to the rainbow
nation and Africa.
Good Nelson bye Mandela.
*Patrick Twumasi*
*(0209045931)
