A Big Roar For Madiba. (Nelson Mandela 1918-2013)

What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead -Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

So today,  Tata Madiba was interred after a long walk to freedom.
Tata passed on last week December 5th,  to join his ancestors. The world stood still for 10 days.
 World leaders converged in South Africa for his memorial service and subsequent funeral and interment.
In 10 days South Africa became the epicenter of the whole world. And the proudest the continent has felt in a long time.
 As we mourned and celebrated the life of an Icon of Justice and equality. A man who changed the world.
Tributes poured in from every nook and cranny of the globe, even from where you would least expect. Small Islands in the Caribbean; Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Saint Lucia, Saint Kit &Nevis, Antigua& Barbuda were all represented. Palestine, Jordan, Seychelles, Ecuador, Brazil, and a long list of countries around the world were part of this epoch event.

World leaders who once called Madiba a terrorist and campaigned for him to be hanged like David Cameron of Britain did as a student, showed up to pay their respects.
Madiba's struggles and travails against the apartheid South African government of the white minority are legendary. A struggle for which he devoted his life and was prepared to die for and was incarcerated for 27 years.

A man who, after the torments and hell the apartheid government put him and other freedom fighters through, forgave them and bore no malice.
For not to forgive them would be to remain in prison for the rest of his natural life. The sage tells us.
This great son of Africa even shared the Nobel Peace prize of 1993 with his former jailor and the apartheid government representative F. W. de klerk.

What I was most impressed with was how quickly the interment occurred. At the end of 10 days. Not 3 months or 6 months as is often the case in my homeland, Nigeria. I have always believed that the ultimate respect for the dead was to bury them in a timely manner. And allow the spirit of the departed to journey on instead of being kept in the mortuary for months, while the living planned a jamboree party to massage their egos.
South Africa seems to always set the pace for how things should be properly done.
I hope Nigerians are watching and taking notes.

As a little girl, I remember hearing about him and the injustices of the apartheid government which for a post-independence child, in Nigeria was hard for me to comprehend.
 I used to wonder how can some stranger come to your homeland and impose himself on you, steal your land and then discriminate against you and your people. And still, get support from some international communities like Britain.
 It just did not make sense to me. The ills and injustice were obvious for everyone to see. The British Government owes many people for the atrocities they committed around the world in former colonies as well.
I often prayed that the wrongs would be righted. And like Madiba says "In the end, we must remember that no amount of rules or their enforcement will defeat those who struggle with Justice on their side"
the keyword is Justice, no matter how long it takes, justice will always prevail.

While in secondary school, I remember some South African students who were given scholarships to attend schools in Nigeria by the Nigerian government. 
I do remember a few of these South African in my school, a couple of them even performed with Miriam Makeba at the FESTAC 77. There were two named  Constance ( I forget their surnames )
I also remember a couple of Zimbabwean students in my school also being sponsored by the Nigerian government when Zimbabwe was struggling under colonial rule. 
A name that comes to mind is Sipho Mapisa or Maphosa. 

I love many of Madiba's quotes, but one of my favorites is "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can change the world"
And the apartheid government made sure that the majority of South African Blacks were denied education.

Madiba's life should be a lesson to all African leaders. It is what a true leader should espouse. Selflessness, Forgiveness, Compassionate, Visionary, Integrity upholding all human rights and knowing the art of negotiating for the benefit of the people you serve.
A leader really is a servant of the people which is a lesson that most African leaders seem to be ignorant of.

Hamba kahle Madiba Rolihlahla Mandela. You will forever live in our consciousness.