20 September 2007
editorial
Lagos — His stay in the Roben Island prison was long and painful. Yet, since he regained freedom in 1990 Nelson Rohililah Mandela, the former South African president, has demonstrated an uncommon capacity for large-spiritedness. Today, the whole world celebrates him on account of this great spirit.
Those who had expected recriminations against his traducers by him upon being elected the first Black president of South Africa were not only disappointed but also amazed at his open invitation to such people to join his government in building up a racially harmonious South Africa. By that posture which he backed up with pragmatic steps towards healing the wounds of the apartheid era, Mandela won the admiration of the world and has since kept it.
Barely three years after he stepped out of prison in 1990, Mandela began to receive what years of incarceration behind the soulless walls of Roben Island denied him. He became indeed a living proof that the human spirit can survive and indeed triumph over the forces of evil without being bitter or overcome by self-pity. Mandela has truly lived out the Biblical injunction that men should not be overcome by evil but should instead overcome evil with good.
His worthy example caught the attention of the Nobel Committee, which awarded him the Peace prize for 1993 together with his predecessor, F.W. de Klerk. Since then, the now octogenarian former president has been a recipient of an avalanche of honours, all in recognition of his great leadership qualities and his efforts at ridding the world of racial discrimination and all forms of injustice.
Just a fortnight ago, in two separate but highly significant incidents, Mandela was bestowed with honours reserved for only the greatest of statesmen in countries other than that of his birth. The first was the unveiling at the Parliament Square in London, of a larger-than-life statue of his, next to that of Britain's highly respected late former prime minister, Winston Churchill. At the event, British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown described Mandela in these superlative terms: " Nelson Mandela is the greatest and most courageous leader of our generation." Those words are not mere hyperboles just intended to tickle this world leader. They truly reflect the current status of Mr Mandela who has distinguished himself not only in Africa but the world over as a moral force whose voice every one wants to hear on important world issues. What Mandela has to say on any international issue counts a great deal because of his moral integrity. Commendably enough, he has managed this moral capital so well that many people across the world now look up to him as the one good news from Africa if it is something to do with leadership.
Another honour to Mandela came on the heels of the London one from the Prince of Monaco, Prince Albert 11, who held a high profile charity ball for him. At the ball, Prince Albert described Mandela as " a beacon for humanity a man who restored Africa's dignity and became an example for humanity " At 89, Mandela has lived nearly all of his life fighting for good causes. He never flinches from any battle in so far as it would advance the cause of humanity. For this moral icon, no epithet would be too good to describe his contributions to the racial harmony that South Africa enjoys today. He had the capacity to toe a different line as president of South Africa if he wanted to. Yet he chose to act like a true statesman. Today, he is reaping the fruit of his sacrifice. There is a great lesson there for most African leaders who scorn the idea of deferred gratification.
Although Mandela is no more in power, his influence on the world remains quite substantial, thanks to his moral authority. We salute this world statesman who has brought his continent great honour
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