Felix Ashimole, Esquire
 Published
July 18th, 2008
Today a god of Africa, an enigma is marking 90 years of
active struggle for the emancipation of Africans both from
themselves (colonial mentality) and from external
psychological aggression-globalism.
In the quest for salvation for the people of Africa,
especially South Africa, Nelson Mandela paid with
incineration of 27 years in Robben Island. With a rare
courage in African political history, Mandela served his
nation for only one tenure 1990-1994. By this feat, Mandela
showed that it is possible to transform from trench tested
activist to a statesman. In Africa, from Libya through Egypt
to Zimbabwe, Congo to Cameroon, messiahs have turned demons
and worst than the oppressors they overthrew.
During this rare feat, Mandela healed the wounds infested on
the majority black by the minority unpopular white
government. This singular act of Mandela and his forgiving
spirit, not only enthroned him as a god, it elevated him to
the pinnacle of hierarchy of African gods. He now competes
favorably with Shaka Zulu, Oduduwa, and Pharaoh, just to
mention but a few in the crowd of African gods.
What I find to be unique about Mandela is the method of his
struggle. He is a violent man, who has tamed the violence in
him in a bid to get maximum result. (He was a boxer and
paneled his body rigorously). He has a clear understanding
of Frantz Fanon, yet allowed the gentle spirit of Mahatma
Gandhi to moderate his outburst.
Nelson Mandela, headed a terrorist group, fashioned in the
toga of the Mau Mau rebels of Kenya but when talks started
with the racist white nationalist government, he never stuck
to his gun, rather he was amiable, bending without
compromising.
Mandela co-founded and headed Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of
the Nation) Mandela led coordinated sabotage campaign
against military and government targets. He was in advanced
stages of plans for a possible guerrilla war if sabotage
failed to end apartheid. ( It was the discovery of the
advanced guerrilla plans that nailed him) Furtherance to
guerrilla war fare, he also raised funds for Umkhonto
abroad, and arranged for paramilitary training, visiting
various African governments, of which Robert Mugabe of
Zimbabwe, then in the jungle waging war of independence
played a vital role.
These “terrorist” tendencies made the United States
government to place Mandela under supervision. This
potential danger status of Mandela was only reviewed this
year by the United States home office.
The only stain on this god, is the not too clear manner he
handled his affairs with Winnie Mandela, who stood like a
pillar during the long winter of Mandela’s imprisonment.
While Mandela was out of circulation, Winnie with other
active ANC activists, kept Nelson Mandela’s image alive.
We wish Mandela a happy Birthday and sincerely pray that he
lives to witness the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup
being hosted by South Africa.
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