By Oluwaseun Sanni
The world mourns the passage to the world beyond of Africa
greatest leader of all time Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. South Africa president
Jacob Zuma had announced Nelson Mandela’s death on Wednesday December 5, 2013,
at about 10:30pm says South Africa had lost ‘its greatest son’ and calling on South
Africans to conduct themselves with the ‘dignity and respect’ that Mandela
personified.
There is no doubt that “Madiba” as was fondly called by his
people left a big vacuum that will be difficult fill in long time to come. It
wasn’t because he was full of age at 95 years but for what he stood for still
lingers in the memory of every South African. Mandela led South Africa’s to
transition from the white minority rules in the 1990s after 27 years in jail.
Mandela for 27 years resisted all attempt by the minority –white to relegate
blacks in his country.
Mandela popularly
called ‘Madiba’ by his people passes on after protracted illness.
Mandela 95 was the first democratically elected President of
South Africa .Every South African belief in Nelson Mandela. He was a courageous
and influential man. Mandela died a fulfilled man not because had fleets of
cars, houses spread across the globe , Private jest, Presidential library, thousand
of Chieftaincy titles, Private Universities and so on but the single act of
leading his people to freedom got him a place in the heart of South Africans.
He was a godfather without imposition; He was a godfather
without party machinery in his possession. He had no foreign account to his
name. Yet, the world stood still to celebrate the man that walks for 27 years
to freedom.
In this while he was stepping down as president of the
country In 1999 Mandela had said: “on my last day I want to know that those who
remain behind will say: the man lies here has done his duty for his country and
his people.” Going by this quote, it is shown that he lived for his people.
Nelson Mandela has come. He saw, he fought, and he
conquered. He lived for the people and died for the people.
What lessons lies here for Africa leaders? It is sad to know that African leaders do not
respect the collective struggles of the people. They continue to inflict pains
on the people they govern. We no longer have leaders with good hearts of
service. We no longer have leaders with charismatic influence to turn around
the poverty level of the society. What
we have today is councillor today, thief tomorrow. Local Chairmen today, rogues
tomorrow. We have Lawmakers today, militants tomorrow. There are Governors
today, thieves tomorrow. The world has also had Presidents today, world
criminals tomorrow.
It is worthy to know that Mandela died in South Africa and
not in foreign nation. Mandela, all through his sick period he never travelled
out to the South Africa for medical treatment. But in Nigeria the health sector is in
comatose. Every elected official in the country runs abroad at every slice of
headache. They do not care about us, whether we eat, drink or have a place to
sleep is not their concern.
Aside from Mandela, how many of our leaders in Africa can be
celebrated like this? He was a man driven with a passion for change not revenge
He was a man without boundary. He was a man without tribalism, ethnicity and
religion bigot.
According to Barrack Obama “we’ve lost one of the most
influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us share
time with on this earth”
British Prime
Minister David Cameron says He inspired millions of people.
Nigeria President Jonathan says through a press statement
that Mandela will be missed by those who cherish love, peace and freedom.
Mandela in 1961 said “For my own part I have made my choice.
I will not leave South Africa, nor will I surrender. Only through hardship,
sacrifice and militant action can freedom be won. The struggle in my life I
will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days.” When our own Mandela comes, here was a man
that had all opportunities to rule South Africa for life but he bowed out when
the ovation was loudest
Nelson Mandela in his life time had dedicated himself to the
struggle of the African people. He had fought against domination and had fought
against black domination. What are our leaders fighting for? It is obvious that
what they fought for
Africa leaders should learn to give priority to all sectors
of the economy. They should learn to be patriotic, take their people at heart,
defend citizens’ rights against local and foreign oppression, and above all
they should be sincere. Most especially there should be a collective fight
against corruption.
Our leaders can inspire us to greatness. There are little
things you do that live forever in the hearts of the people. No matter how they
go about it doing little things that bring solutions to the suffering of the people and these can go a long way to earn them the respect they deserve. If we want a man like
Mandela we should watch our leadership recruitment and begin to look at
ourselves as individual to know if we are doing it in the right direction.
Africa leaders should cherished the ideal of a democratic
and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with
equal opportunities just as Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela did for South Africans.
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