“I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because
of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of what I thought,
because of my conscience...
...During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to
this struggle of the African people...
...I have fought against white domination, and I
have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a
democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and
with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to
achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
Born
Rolihlahla Mandela in
Mveso,
Transkei, South Africa 18th July 1918 and fondly called Madiba and
Tata; he is popularly known as Nelson Mandela.
This personality has increasingly
held the world in frenzious awe since the latter half of the 20th
century up until his recent demise. In deed and in death, his memory is enmeshed
in notorious fame whose embers will blaze a continual trail for generations
unending to refer and learn.
Away from the troubled
past incited by the governance misdemeanours of most of Africa’s independence
leaders - who wittingly threw the tantrums into the post independence political
cosmos of their countries. Thus, plunging Africa to that continent laden with coup d’etats,
civil wars, debt, ethnic upheavals, infrastructural decay and underdevelopment.
Nelson Mandela’s legacies from the anti-apartheid struggle to the post
apartheid era South Africa, leaves a sterling example in what is meant of exemplary quality leadership.
Driven and motivated by
the passion of what he believed ought to be, he sought freedom and equity for
all races in South Africa and never for once balked at his desire even when he
was President of South Africa from the dominant race that has once been sore
oppressed.
In life and in death,
Mandela is ever eulogized as a beacon of morality in leadership, and his
influence is always evoked at the slightest opportunity when needed - as seen
recently in South Africa’s world cup bid success.
Amidst the adulatory
eulogies showered the memory of Mandela, it is important to note and learn from
the deeds of Mandela. Viz;
v
His
ardent and fervent determination in the face of crushing opposition to his
ideology and movement. Instead, his resolve increased and remained stronger
than ever. Though sentenced to life imprisonment and destined to die, he
said:
“Prison itself is a tremendous education in
the need for patience and perseverance. It is above all a test of one’s
commitment.”
While in
prison, he wrote his famous biography- Long walk to freedom (while not yet
free) and above all, he bagged a long sought law degree amid providing a
formidable leadership to his fellow prisoners while in prison.
v
He had a clear sense
of his ideology and its ideals. Himself being an African Nationalist, he became
fully absorbed into democratic socialism as he began his long term romance with
politics in the ANC and governance in South Africa. Though during his
struggles, he had alliances with western maligned communism and some absolute
leaders in Gaddafi which made him being labelled as a terrorist by western
governments. His clear ideological drive overtime won the hearts and minds of
all those who once evil branded him as seen in eulogies poured out at his
demise. This is a far cry from the inept ideological tendencies dominating the
African political cosmos today. This has reduced politics and governance to a
trivial ground for scores settling, unideologically driven cross carpeting, and
money bag governance in most African Countries.
v
Even when at the helm
of affairs as South Africa’s President, he distributed governing powers. His
deputy, Thabo Mbeki concentrated on domestic issues while Mandela concentrated
on foreign matters; and amid the cheers, he quit when the ovation was loudest
after one term in office. This is a far cry from the bad exemplary governance
of previous Africa independence leaders before him who turned their countries
to one party states; and most had to be dislodged by coup d’etats, civil upheavals
and sometimes bloody civil wars whose scars still lace the Africa political
cosmos till this day. It is however sad to note that the governing ANC seems to
be diverting from the exemplary ideals of Mandela leadership legacies
v
He loved his country to a fault.
He never sought to leave or retire abroad; as such, he never had some foreign holdings
of loots stashed abroad. No wonder he died at home. Some other African leaders
would have retired/sought medical treatment abroad, died abroad and be flown
home on demise.
v
He never had a stable family life.
From three marriages (two ending in divorce), his personal life sometimes cast
a shadow on his glorious credentials. His first marriage broke due to his wife’s
irreconcilable ideology with his as she left him before he returned from one
of his numerous incarcerations. Unable to forgive his adulterous long term wife and companion, one may hold
that moment with thoughtful grief as they barely had five years together
(though spent in transit in and out of prison) before his eternal 27yr
incarceration which could have had testing moments in the life of young Winnie.
Some say he forgave his oppressors but
couldn’t forgive his wife! In that he showed his mortal side in the face of
secular knight ship and sainthood.
“I hate race discrimination most intensely and in
all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I fight it now,
and will do so until the end of my days.”
In life and in death,
Nelson Mandela remained an embodiment of political pietism and in that; he
attained the status of a secular saint.
Whilst basking in the
euphoria of having a man worthy of historical reference from Africa, it is most
important for all who care to reminisce his memory to think and practice his
deeds. Maybe such could be called Mandelasm (no calls for a political movement
though)!
Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not
allow fear to stand in our way.”
“I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom
come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet
ended.”
"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered"---
RIP
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
(18/7/1918- 5/12/2013)
