One leader in whom the world is pleased

Today, Dr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Nobel Peace Prize winner, symbol
of South Africa's liberation, and a very important citizen of the
world, spends his 22nd day in hospital, his fourth hospitalisation in
six months. And like all the struggles that have hallmarked his 94
years on earth, Mandela's latest struggle, the struggle for life in a
Pretoria hospital, has kept the world on edge.
Black or white, rich or poor, strong or weak, religious or heathen,
straight or gay, peoples around the world are united in solidarity and
support as they wait and pray for more time for the man whose people
fondly call Madiba, a name rich in meaning and history. It is the name
of his Xhosa tribe but which his Thembu clan gave to him as an act of
honour.
As the world waits, and despite encouraging bulletins from the office
of President Jacob Zuma, in the last two days, indicating marginal
improvement in his condition, it is almost certain that Mandela may be
playing his last act on the world stage. That reality has not been
lost on his clan and family, who, against Xhosa tradition and custom,
have started preparing for the worst. Clan chiefs are said to have met
and concluded burial plans.
This is why South Africans now wake up each morning with a deep sense
of foreboding, praying fervently for more time for the 94-year-old
anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician who served as the pioneer
president of democratic South Africa from 1994 to 1999. From their
profuse expressions of love for the Madiba, typified by their endless
prayers and praises, it is crystal clear that South Africans do not
want to bid their iconic leader bye yet.
Still, there is nothing strange in the recent developments in
Mandela's health profile. Whatever may be happening now is not unusual
for a 94-year-old. If you have ever watchedan old folk sign off, you
would understand that it is not easy to go. My father is almost 95,
and we, his children, learn new lessons every dayabout the trauma of
growing old. From my father's experience, I can tell you that growing
old is not a tea party.
Let's save my dad's experience for another day. Let's return our gaze
to the moment.
Now, I'm sure you must have been seeing the crowd (of almost 1000
people) that gathers daily, from sunrise to sunset, in front of
Mandela's hospital in Pretoria, singing and praying for his speedy and
complete recovery. You must have noticed, too, the steel in their
supplications to the Almighty to restore their legendary leader to
health. What about the great outpouring of love coming from virtually
every corner of the earth?
Which African leader, in recent history, has enjoyed such profound
expression of love from his people, and, indeed, from people across
the world? In a continent suffering chronic leadership anemia, in a
region where filthy despots masquerade as Messiahs, and where people
go into wild jubilation at the death of a tyrant or rejoice openly any
time a 'life president' bites the dust, is it any wonder that South
Africans remain strong in their solidarity for their beloved leader?
The reasons for that effusion of love are simple. One, no leader, in
recent history, has made enough troubles and sucked in deprivations
that could last several lifetimes as Mandela did to liberate his
people from "a systemof violent prejudice and helped unite white and
black, oppressor and oppressed, in a way that had never been done." (
www.slideshare.net).
Second, no leader has placed so muchpremium on the judgment of
history, and focused so firmly on posterity as Mandela. He is one man
of history who had his mind constantly primed on posterity. Mandela,
very early in his life as a revolutionary, saw what others didn't see.
And he worked and walked far ahead of his peers in the struggle to
liberate his people from the shackles of apartheid. Although he knew
that the path to freedom was strewn with tribulations that could
easily shatter even the heart of the strongest of men, he
volunteeredto sacrifice his comfort for a crown of thorn and absorb
punishments that debase human dignity.
Or which leader, aside Mandela, couldspend 27 years in the slammer,
away from his beloved family, and the comfort of his home? Who is that
leader that can survive "without hearing a baby cry or holding a
child'shand" as TIME magazine summarised Mandela's travails in its
tribute to the legend on his 90th birthday? Indeed, which leader, if
not Mandela, who loves to be surrounded by children, would suffer such
deprivation for a people? Such leaders are rare. They are very rare in
Africa. That, perhaps, is why some commentators feel that the unique
attributes of this extraordinary man would continue to recommend
themselves for academicresearch after he is long gone.No wonder, as
time tickles for the legend, people, across the world, are engaged in
serious conversations, not as to whether the world would see yet
another Mandela, but whether the world would uphold the strategic
leadership lessons he has taught us all.
Paying glowing tribute to the man hedescribed as his personal hero,
yesterday, President Barack Obama said Mandela epitomizes the best in
human spirit and dignity. Praising thedeparting icon for his moral
courage and conviction of those principles that set the human spirit
at liberty, the US President, after a private visit to Mandela's
family, in South Africa, said: "The outpouring of love that we've seen
in recent days shows that the triumph of Nelson Mandela and this
nation speaks to something very deep in the human spirit, the yearning
for justice and dignity that transcends boundaries of race and class
and faith and country.
"That's what Nelson Mandela represents, that's what South Africa, at
its best, represents to the world, and that's what brings me back
here."
That's what also makes the world to unite in solidarity for Mandela as
he continues his biggest battle yet in a Pretoria hospital. It is also
the same reason his compatriots are not ready to release him yet. Dr.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is one selfless leader in whom all South
Africans, black or white, and, indeed, the whole world are well
pleased.
As prepares for the imminent departure of the icon, the best
tributeAfrica can pay to his memory is for its leaders to imbibe those
leadership lessons that the legend spent his extraordinary life to
teach the world. The leaders, and those aspiring to leadership, must
imbibe the Madiba'sstrength of character, display unflinching
commitment to values that help build strong and virile nations,
demonstrate the courage to inspire and display an unambiguous ability
to nudge their followers to great heights.
If they are able to achieve all these, and they are achievable, that
would be the ultimate triumph of Mandela