Ode to Nelson Mandela @ 89

By

Joachim Ezeji

santajayinc@yahoo.com

Eight scores plus nine can never be trivial in the life of any man. This is particularly true if the bulk of such a lifespan is dedicated to unblemished service and embellished with humility. That was the life of Africa’s leading elder statesman Nelson Mandela. It was indeed a bumper celebration for Nelson Mandela, on Wednesday, 18th July 2007 as he marked his 89th birthday and ninth anniversary of marriage to former Mozambican first lady Gracia Machel.

Talking about Mandela is akin to talking about the late Juliu Nyerere of Tanzania. It is also akin to talking about leadership in Africa in the 21^st century. In life the whole wide world has come to recognize what Mandela represents. In death Julius Nyerere has stood out in total vindication and global awe of a life well lived.

Today the Catholic Church, the largest congregation of Christians in the world has stood up to attest to the character of Julius Nyerere as rare and an exemplary leader of his time. The Catholic pontiff has all ready set in motion the processes that will beatify and possibly canonize Julius Nyerere. If this sails through then a saint would have emerged from our fold.

Though Nyerere is long dead and gone, his footprints stand out boldly for ages. The man loved his country. His love for his country was evident and true. That love also pierces out to the entire African continent. He never sought undue attention or played to the gallery.

Comparing the two, Nelson Mandela is no different. Nelson’s love for his country and people is deep and strong. His love for Africa and the whole wide world is impenetrable.  Today he remains the conscience of the African continent. He is a standard bearer of today and for many years to come for sundry African leaders both in the future and today.

It is germane to stress how many Africans could have undergone 27 years imprisonment and remain strong in their beliefs. His it was a strong belief in the emancipation of his people. An endless sacrifice tenaciously pursued in order to ensure real freedom and prosperity for all. Nelson Mandela represents all these and many more. This is very important to talk about in this age when principles and integrity has become a market product.

But Mandela remains a rare gem. He was imprisoned for nearly three decades for his fight against apartheid. Following his released in 1990, Mandela led negotiations to end white rule. He was elected president in South Africa's first fully democratic elections in 1994. Mandela left office voluntarily in 1999 without any controversy. Since then he has continued to work to reduce poverty, illiteracy and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Africa.

On that faithful Wednesday I not only rejoiced with Mandela but celebrated with him. He is one African I admire so much. My admiration of him is also mixed with respect and pride. This is so because he is an African statesman to the core.

It was gratifying to see another lofty creativity being unleashed by the sage himself. He had used the occasion of his birthday to float a "council of elders" with other Nobel peace laureates, politicians and development experts, a group dedicated to fostering peace and resolving global crises in the world.

On the list of the elders' league include South Africa's first post-apartheid president Nelson Mandela himself, United States (U.S) former president Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan; Indian women's rights campaigner, Ela Bhatt; former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland; former Chinese envoy to the UN, Li Zhaoxing, who worked in Africa; Mandela's wife, Machel, a long-time campaigner for children's rights; former Irish President Mary Robinson; and Bangladeshi micro-credit pioneer Muhammad Yunus.

It was reported that at that event that a chair stood empty on the stage for Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was invited to join the elders but is currently held under house arrest by the country's military junta.

Mandela said that the elders "will support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict and inspire hope where there is despair." What could be more reassuring than those words from no other than the man who though have seen it all has remained ever simple and courageous?.

The Elders are expected to decide their priorities in the coming months. In the words of former USA President Jimmy Carter at the occasion "My prayer is that the great potential of the elders might be realized through sound judgment and through dedication and courage,”.

The press had reported that the new humanitarian alliance was an idea of British entrepreneur Richard Branson, who shares a birthday with Mandela, and musician Peter Gabriel. Branson helped raise the $18 million in funding over three years for the group. About 250 people at the event sang "Happy Birthday" as a beaming Mandela took the stage, accompanied by an aide and leaning heavily on his cane.

Tutu, chairman of the elders' group told Mandela: "How God must love South Africa to have given us such a priceless gift". You bowled us all over by your graciousness, magnanimity and generosity of spirit."

During the event, Mandela and Machel often held hands, especially when Tutu reminded the crowd that the day also marked the couple's ninth wedding anniversary. At a point of the emotional gathering, Gabriel sang his "Biko" unaccompanied, and Tutu reportedly wept. Black leader Steve Biko died at the hands of the apartheid security forces 30 years ago.

More than 50 soccer stars later in the day participated in a "90 Minutes for Mandela" match in Cape Town, pitting Africa against the rest of the word. Retired Brazilian soccer star Pele and three-time African player of the year Samuel Eto'o were among the players that featured in that historic match. The 35,400-crowd at the stadium sang "Happy Birthday" to Mandela before the match, which ended in a 3-3 draw.

In a recorded message shown on the giant screen Mandela said: "Today is indeed an extra special birthday for me, as I have been given this wonderful gift of a football match played in my honour. This match is more than just a game; it symbolizes the power of football to bring people together from all over the world, regardless of the language they speak or the colour of their skin."

The lesson in all these is that leaders everywhere must always work hard to bring about monumental changes in their society. African leaders have a lot to learn from Nelson Mandela, and that a good name is better than all the gold in the whole world. I was not surprised that Chief Obasanjo’s name was missing on that list. At least it shows that the world is watching and taking note of events here.

For all leaders in Africa but particularly Nigeria, it is expedient to underscore that there is no better way to secure the future than through exemplary leadership. Such leadership must be imbued with absolute service, that service above self. The tendency to loot public resources in order to secure the future is strategically an erroneous judgment. It is not only myopic but a doomed pursuit in this world and the world thereafter. Of course it never goes far.