Last night I received a whatssap from my son in Maastricht, which just read: "Dad, Mandela is gone!" It caught me so unawares that I admit I took a couple of seconds to realise the sad news: South Africa's first black President and arguably the most iconic, inspirational figure in politics over the last 50 years had passed away. Immediately, I logged on to BBC news and I read the headline: Mandela dies aged 95. His long battle against a lung infection was over. Madiba (his clan name), the father of modern South Africa, whose life had been devoted to a brave struggle against apartheid and in favour of the civil rights of his fellow black citizens, was dead.
It is only coincidence that Chani recently mentioned on our blog how Rodriguez, while utterly neglected in his native America, was passionately idolized in South Africa during the time when Mandela was in prison for 27 long years, and his music had inspired and kept alive the dreams of many people throughout the oppressive regime.
You know, I've always said that if was given the chance to meet a politician in the flesh that would, no doubt, be (have been, actually) Nelson Mandela, definitely one of my all-time heroes. A tortured man who was willing to forgive and forget his ruthless enemies for the sake and welfare of his country, who through his sensitive words and selfless deeds transformed a nation, a leader who's universally admired and acknowledged. His personal warmth and charisma always moved me, the story of his struggle and imprisonment, which I find so courageous, made me think of how generous a human being can be.
There are many memorable quotes that define his compelling personality. Among the many I could cite, I've extracted a few as a modest tribute to his life - and death:
- Racism is a blight on the human conscience. The idea that any people can be inferior to another, to the point where those who consider themselves superior define and treat the rest as sub-human, denies the humanity even of those who elevate themselves to the status of gods.
- Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.
- As the years progress one increasingly realises the importance of friendship and human solidarity. And if a 90-year-old may offer some unsolicited advice on this occasion, it would be that you, irrespective of your age, should place human solidarity, the concern for the other, at the centre of the values by which you live.
- I was the symbol of justice in the court of the oppressor, the representative of the great ideals of freedom, fairness and democracy in a society that dishonoured those virtues. I realized then and there that I could carry on the fight even in the fortress of the enemy.
Such wise words he spoke, true lessons of human dignity and solidarity which we all (and especially our oft corrupted, selfish politicians) should learn from. That's why I decided to post this entry today, rather fittingly on the day we celebrate our Constitution, and I'd love you guys to join me and send in your own comments about Nelson Mandela. Politicians and religious leaders of all creeds across the world are unanimously praising the great man and his legacy so I'm sure many of you would like to share your thoughts about him too.
When I think of Mandela a song springs up, one by Scottish band Simple Minds, who in the late 80s paid a heartfelt tribute on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his cruel imprisonment: "Mandela Day". The Youtube clip I've found features the song as well as some of Mandela's everlasting quotes plus a few articles of the Universal declaration of Human Rights, so often trampled in our society:
Mandela is finally free. Long live the spirit of Madiba!
