A REAL SUPER HERO

                                

The sad news hit the world yesterday about the passing of a great man. The world mourns and and also celebrates the legacy he has left behind.

We all grew up watching marvels super heroes. Admiring the passion and love they show for the people and how easy it is for them to forgive but these are all fictional characters. Never were these characters brought to reality than in the life of Nelson Rolihlahla Madiba Dalibunga Mandela. He put Africa on the map and gave us a voice. A man of great valor and a true son of the land. The most influential, revered and loved man in the universe who has numerous monuments, squares, streets and places named after him. He is given many names, the greatest man that lived, the father of freedom, the man of peace, the man of many handshakes. His tall, imposing frame and poise made him appealing but it was his warm smile that carried to his eyes that made him more approachable. I can only imagine his triumphant entry into the kingdom of Heaven. I am sure the hug he would receive from God would be everlasting (yeah I just had to use the word).

He suffered for 27 years in prison. 27 YEARS!!! I don’t think people realize how long that is, that is more than my present life. Ha!! African prisons are not like Yankee prisons that you will just be chilling and forming bad guy O!, this one is with hard labor. He emerged from prison a greater man than he went in, expressing great love for his offenders when he said 

                                         

“ As I walked out the door toward my freedom, I knew that if I did not leave all the anger, hatred and bitterness behind that I would still be in prison” and it is this love he showed that made him the great man he was. (On the day of his release, Bill Clinton called his daughter to observe it and said "Come and see this, this is probably the most important thing you will witness in your life). 

                           

That is the kind of effect he had on the world. The only other person that showed his kind of forgiveness is Jesus Christ (please note that I am not making a comparison). Hmm if it is me, the moment I emerge, I will go to Shitta and hire boys..boys go show..lol. I only know of two people that became presidents after being imprisoned. One went ahead to become the greatest man the world has ever witnessed, dinning with the queen and people of importance and the other…hmmm… let me keep quiet before I enter 7 years.. but let’s just say, he is one of the reasons Nigeria is in its present state. One was selfless, fought for his people to be free and declined coming for a second term, the other has ruled how many times now my people? And made us load recharge cards with *555*1 of which the 1 was reported to be gain for him for every time we recharged our phones. I no call anybody O!. This only shows the choices people make in life.

His is a celebration of life and I thank the Lord that he lived for 95 long years. I think that God gave him long life to compensate him for the time he lost in confinement. He was a living legend.

I remember the first time I really got to know anything about Nelson Mandela. It was from a film adaptation of his life played by Danny Glover and I remember that for the most part of the movie I was crying. Now we have the chance to see another adaptation being played by hunky, gorgeous, breath of fresh air (sorry, I just had to say that) Idris Elba. I haven’t seen the movie, not even sure if it is out but Idris has a lot on his shoulders. Potraying this great man has got to be a lot of work because I can only imagine what the critics will say if he delivers a less than stellar performance even worse now that the icon has passed, the pressure would be great. This is his one chance at an Oscar and omo if he doesn't’t deliver then it has be for him.

                              

I want to also bring to light, the life of someone that, without him, Mandela may not have succeeded. F.W. de Klerk was the last foreign president who handed over to Mandela, who also fought his own people to accede to what Mandela was fighting for. He brokered the end of the apartheid and for this, we also thank him.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from this very wise man.

• No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite  I am not a saint, unless you consider a saint a sinner who keeps trying (reminds me of Donnie Mclurkins-we fall down)
• Life is like a big wheel, the one who is on top today will be at the bottom and the one at the bottom would be on top
• I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.
• The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear
• A winner is a dreamer who never gives up
• There is no passion to be found playing small in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living
• A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination
• For to be free is not merely to cast off ones chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others
• To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity (please tell them O! they say na 7 years)
• Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace
• Where globalization means that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom
• To read more and gain more insight about Nelson Mandela, read his book The long walk to freedom.

Funeral Rites:

Day 1: Closing of the eyes by Thembu leaders. Throughout this ceremony, the elders would be talking to Mandela, as well as his tribal ancestors, to explain what is happening at each and every stage to ease the transition from life to death. After the ceremony, the body would be embalmed at the mortuary.

Day 5: No formal public events will be held until five days after the death. People are to gather on the FNB stadium, known as soccer city in Soweto for a memorial service. The same stadium where he made his last public appearance at the world cup finals

Day 6-8: His body will lie in state for 3 days at the union buildings in Pretoria, the seat of power of the South African government. The first day will be reserved for dignitaries. The public will be allowed to file past his casket on days 7 and 8.It was at this same building that Mandela was inaugurated as president on May 10, 1994.

Day 9: A military aircraft will leave a Pretoria airbase and fly south to Mthatha, the main town in the South African province of Eastern cape. Thembu elders and members of the Mandela family make the journey with Mandelas casket. The casket would be transported on a gun carriage to the remote village of Qunu, where he spent his childhood years. Along the way, the procession is expected to pause for prayers to allow ordinary south Africans pay their respects. Once at Mandelas house, the military will formally pass responsibility for his remains to his family. The south African flag that is expected to be draped over the coffin will be replaced with a traditional Xhosa blanket, symbolizing the return of one of their own. At dusk, ANC leaders, local chiefs and Mandelas family are expected to gather for a private night vigil before a very public funeral the next day.

Day 10: The funeral and burial will be on the grounds of Mandelas Qunu home. At midday- when the summer sun is high in the sky-Mandela will be buried with only close family and friends bidding the final farewell.

WOW!! What an honor. Tata Africa may the cherubs sing endlessly at you arrival at the gates of heaven. Thank you for what you did for us, thank you for being who you were and thank you for showing the world your great heart. God bless you, Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrica (God bless Africa)