BY GODFREY UBAKA
I have for some years now deliberately volunteered to be a devoted lifetime student of the leadership ideals and development philosophies of Nelson Mandela. I had actually, rather earnestly, wished I could see some more other replicated examples of leadership ideals that are as credible, compelling and inspiring as those lived out by the great Madiba. I have also followed very keenly with how the global community pauses every July 18, to celebrate Nelson Mandela Day, a United Nations declaration and the ideals the Icon of all times represents at the global stage.
It has however, remained an unsettling puzzle why the annual celebration has not permeated the consciousness of the political class, resulting in the much needed selfless, sacrificial, vision driven and transformative leadership in Africa, the continent that produced the legendary Mandela.
How come the sense of community service is still taking the backstage while selfish agrandisement and primitive accumulation have become key features of public service in Africa? Was gearing up for this year’s edition coming up next Friday when an invitation came from the management of Nelson Mandela Gardens and Resort, Asaba listing the activities of this year’s celebration under the theme; It’s Still in Our Hands To Combat Poverty and Inequity.
The invitation came timely and succeeded in arousing my interest the more concerning the all important day. The Founder of the Garden, Dr Newton Jibunoh has consistently demonstrated an unalloyed, if not fanatical commitment to seeing how the leadership style of Nelson Mandela can be practically replicated across Africa. He considers this as the only viable hope for Africa to emerge from its present State of leadership miasma and political retrogression. As things stand today, the poor state of leadership in Africa has continued to plague the continent with growing poverty and institutionalized Inequity.
Poverty in Africa has become a complex and wide-ranging issue that impacts millions of lives every day. Political independence has failed to translate into the economic viability of nations. This in several cases has resulted in instability, social unrest, uneven distribution of natural and government resources and other multi-dimensional problems. The people who are most affected used to be those in rural and remote areas. Today, however, the agonizing pains of the urban poor have become increasingly unbearable. Africa currently has the highest extreme poverty rates globally, with 23 of the world’s 28 poorest countries, which have extreme poverty rates above 30 percent. Using the poverty line of $1.90 per day, Africa’s extreme poverty rate was recently estimated to be about 35.5percent. This rate is 6.8 times higher than the average for the rest of the world.It has therefore become a widely acknowledged dilemma that Africa’s primary challenge is not a lack of resources, but rather, a morbid deficiency in effective and impactful leadership. While the continent possesses immense potentials, the low quality of leadership, particularly in execution and practical governance, has significantly impacted its development trajectory. Elections are prepared for almost in the same manner some developed nations gear up for war. From one election cycle to another, there’s vicious desperation for the control of power and access to State resources, but alas, not for quality governance or equitable distribution or appropriation of State resources. The glaring but painful result is that Africa has been so closely associated with ravaging corruption, infrastructure deficit, and a lack of visionary and servant leadership. Unemployment rate is alarmingly on the increase. In droves, young men and women are exiting the continent, in preference for refugee status in Europe and America.
Many African nations have kept on struggling with leaders who lack a clear vision for development and as such fail to prioritize the needs of their citizens, leading to a disconnect between leadership and the populace. Africa is equally today confronted with a crop of leadership that trace their political ascendancy more to the former colonial authorities than the citizens of their countries. These neocolonialist inclinations have led to the unmitigated spread of poverty , widespread corruption and deeply entrenched inequity. Across the
continent,weak institutions and poor governance have been known to hinder progress , erode public trust and undermine development efforts.
Daily, I have had cause to ponder over the words of Pieter Willem Botha, leader of Apartheid South Africa to the effect that ‘Black people cannot rule themselves because they don’t have the brain and mental capacity to govern a society. Give them guns, they will kill themselves.” Could he have in any way been saying the truth?. If that be the case, when will the lot of Africa change for the better?
We have also Continued to experience increasing debt burden and heavy reliance on foreign aid alongside other legacies of colonialism which contributes to economic dependency and despondency. Lack of inclusive governance has led to ethnic tensions and political instability. There’s an urgent need for Africa to address its leadership challenges so as to unlock its full potentials and embark on a path of sustainable and equitable development. Nelson Mandela in his struggles and leadership engagements amply demonstrated that this is possible.
Nelson Mandela’s leadership style can be likened to that of a shepherd guiding a flock towards a brighter future. In his own words, he described a leader as someone who “stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realising that all along they are being directed from behind.” Mandela duly earned many accolades as an iconic figure and freedom fighter that triumphed over South Africa’s apartheid regime, restoring dignity and hope to people of African descent across the globe. He was a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, and an international peacemaker. He was the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa who set example of an impactful single tenure and refused to be lured into the continent’s political bug of sit -tightism. It has therefore never been a surprise why the United Nations General Assembly would want the global community to celebrate his life and ideals. Commemorated on July 18 — Nelson Mandela’s birthday — Nelson Mandela International Day celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world and the ability to make an impact. So, in honour of his 67 years of public service, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the U.N. ask that we all spend 67 minutes of our time, come next Friday helping others and making our communities better Nelson Mandela Day, also known as Mandela Day, is therefore an international observance in honour of the revolutionary Nelson Mandela. Celebrated annually on his birthday, July 18, the day was officially set by the United Nations in November 2009, with the first observance of Mandela Day held on July 18, 2010.
Nelson Mandela International Day shines a light every year on the legacy of a man whose monumental achievements changed the 20th century and shaped the 21st. His values and determination — a deep commitment to human rights, freedom, and justice — are reflected on, and are a source of inspiration for many across the continents of the world. Mandela advocated for the rightful dignity and equality of every living person, and encouraged engagement and solidarity across all borders. His relentless pursuit for equality was paralleled with his status as the founding father of peace in South Africa.
Nelson Mandela remains a symbol of power by resisting oppression. In times of turbulence, Mandela’s legacy teaches everyone to choose dignity over humiliation, speak up during injustice, and forgive rather than hate. He once said, “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” In 2014, the Nelson Mandela Prize was established by the UN General Assembly — an award recognizing the achievements of those who went far and beyond to serve humanity.
Mandela was born in a village called Mvezo in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
In 1963 he was imprisoned with Prisoner number#46664
He was jailed for leading the liberation movement against apartheid.
Mandela stood out in his ideals of poverty alleviation, removal of suffering of people. He also dreamed of a society where there would be no discrimination based on gender or racial origins. Let’s come together and honour his legacies by ensuring ours is a society where poverty and Inequity are squarely confronted and duly relegated to the past, not carried over to haunt the future.
