Mandela

Mandela, Nigeria, and the Agonies of a ‘Baba’sinku’ Wannabe

Dr. Adeleke Otunuga

Nelson Rolihllahla Mandela, the man fondly called Madiba, fell into an eternal sleep on Thursday December 5^th, 2013. He lived a life dedicated to struggle against injustice and racial discrimination. Today, the world mourns the man described as “a giant of history” and “one of the greatest leaders of our time.” This Mandela, the man the whole world has stood up for since Thursday night when he breathed his last, was once labeled a ‘terrorist’ and confined to the most hellish part of the world. It is ironic that the most colorful memorial service I have witnessed in my lifetime is for a man the world powers once connived and plotted against. I hope this important lesson of history will not be lost on us.

Mandela is not so honored by people of goodwill the world over because he spent 27 years in prison. He is not so honored today because he fought for freedom, equality and justice. Mandela is not receiving posthumous encomiums simply because of his dogged commitment to an end of apartheid – a struggle he devoted his life to, and for which he was prepared to breathe his last. In my opinion, the most important virtue of Madiba was his great power to forgive. Mandela not only forgave, he set the nation on a genuine course of unity and reconciliation. He admonished South Africans to look forward rather than backwards. With his message of unity, truth, and reconciliation, he singlehandedly helped the nation avert what would have been a devastating civil war

In the legendary story of Mandela and the socio-political transformational history of South Africa there is a great lesson of ‘how to’ and ‘how not to’ of nation building for other African nations, especially Nigeria. If Mandela had come out of prison bitter for his unjust 27 years incarceration, the world today most probably would not have united in paying homage to the great man that he was. If Madiba had come out of prison spewing ethnic hate and political divisiveness, Africa and indeed the whole world arguably would have been a different place today. If Mandela had come out of prison determined to wager revenge against real and perceived enemies of the anti-apartheid struggle, those whose brutal execution of the inhuman racial segregation policy saw thousands maimed and many more unjustly killed, South Africa still would be a killing field today, and the entire African continent would be engulfed by the flaming conflagration.

We Nigerians need to re-chart a course for the future. That future must be devoid of the current persistent penchant for ethnic and religious sororification at the slightest provocation. It is very insane, and clearly anti-progressive, to define any Nigerian by either their ethnic origin or religious affiliation. It is time we start honoring Mandela’s legacy by looking forward. As a nation, we have what it takes to be great. What we lack is the unity of purpose to drive our achievement and help give vent to our creativity. We are like a broken broom the frond pieces of which need to come back together to be effective at sweeping. To actualize Nigeria’s potentials and realize progressive dreams of greatness, we not only need to look beyond the hurtful aspects of actions or inactions of ethnic figures of our nation’s history, we also have to forgive the sad events of our nation’s past.

Nigeria as Mandela’s ‘Baba’sinku’

Ordinarily, Nigeria should have played greater role in the funeral and memorial events for Nelson Mandela. Nigeria was supposed to be at the center-stage of events honoring the departed great. In fact, we were supposed to host the world on behalf of South Africa. But did Nigeria deserve a Baba’sinku honorific at the memorial service?

The Baba’sinku in the Yoruba culture is the Mourner-in-Chief or a Director of Socials at funeral events. A Baba’sinku is never appointed based on socio-demographic criteria; his appointment is usually an affirmation of his honorable standing; an official acclamation that his lifestyle perfectly mirrors the personal philosophy and worldview of the departed. Oftentimes the departed himself chooses his own Baba’sinku even before his death. At other times, the departed’s close relatives and children determine who the cap of the Baba’sinku honorific truly fits.

Nigeria’s insipid recognition at the Mandela funeral has generated so much social media and private gathering debates. Most Nigerians expected that given Nigeria’s official stance against apartheid and our great role in interring the body and soul of that infamous policy, Nigeria should have received more commendation and recognition at Madiba’s memorial event. In a beautiful piece titled “On the Purported Slight of Nigeria at Madiba’s Funeral,” Pius Adesanmi undertook a historical reminder of several instances of Nigeria’s slighting by those who benefitted from Nigeria’s large-heartedness. I agree with him that there is a real connection between the state of affairs at home and the disrespect abroad. Honor is never bought with money nor acquired with gifts; it is earned. I do not think that those who failed to recognize our contribution to Africa’s ride to greatness are ingrates. We need to reflect inward in our honest quest to understand what went awry.

Madiba lived, and is today honored for, his time-tested stand on the side of justice, equality, and progress. His Baba’sinku must be known for and be committed to same beliefs and even greater ideals. Baba’sinkus don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk as well. With a dismal human rights record, high level private and public sector corruption ranking, decomposed public infrastructure, alarmingly high mortality rate, Nigeria possessed no laurels worthy of recognition as Mandela’s Baba’sinku. With a bill to gag social media criticism of government’s ineptitude awaiting a third reading at the National Assembly, Nigeria will fare best as a Baba’sinku at the inevitable memorial of the likes of Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Teodore Obiang Mbasogo of Equitorial Guinea, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Joao Bernard Vieira of Guinea Bissau, Yahya Jamme of Gambia, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola, and other anti-Mandelianism misleaders in Africa who have turned their countries to personal fiefdoms.

President Obama must have been talking to Nigeria at the event when he noted, “There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba's struggle for freedom but do not tolerate dissent from their own people.” With a statement by President Jonathan that “we must all fight against the vices Mandela fought for [against]. Mandela fought against oppression. If we continue with discrimination against people, then of course we have no reason to celebrate Mandela,” Nigeria would have done a greater honor to the memory of Mandela by sending no delegate to the memorial event in South Africa.