Eulogy to President Nelson Madiba Mandela
On December 5, 2013, the whole world celebrated and continues to pay glowing tribute to the memory of Nelson Madiba Mandela and to understand and applaud his legacy… all of us, individually and collectively, were touched by the life of this truly wonderful person.
Advertisement
I was fortunate to be in South Africa the very day Mandela was released from the Robin Island prison in 1990.
I was an energetic young man plying my trade of business development across the African continent, pioneering the introduction of money transfer services.
The remittance business to Africa was novel and revolutionary at that time and, as such, a lot was written in the leading Pan-African business and political magazines such as “African Business” and “The New African” (both published in London).
Back in the US and approximately one month after Mandela’s release from jail, I got a phone call from an unknown person in Washington D.C.
He inquired if my name was Amoah and if I was the one in the recent issue of the African Business magazine.
After I answered affirmatively, the caller said, “Mr Mandela has read about you and likes what you’re doing. Mr Mandela wants to speak with you because he thinks you’re his son-in-law.”
Of course I was burning with elation that the Great Mandela knew something about me and would like to speak with me! Me, Kofi Amoah?
But I knew it would not be because I was single at the time and was not the son-in-law to anybody, not even to the Great Mandela!
It turned out that he thought I was one Dr Amuah, married to his eldest daughter, Maki, who was also living in the US at the time.
Today, Dr Kwame Amuah, a Ghanaian and an accomplished industrialist and educator in South Africa, and his wife Maki are good friends of mine, and I extend to them and the entire Mandela family warm condolences and prayers.
But herein lies the gem of my little brush with the Great Mandela:
1. He was truly an Africanist dedicated to the welfare of the continent. And to arm himself with the requisite knowledge, he stayed current with the key issues of Africa’s development by reading the leading business and political magazines.
Mandela adored the acquisition of practical and relevant knowledge to help with his chosen cause of liberation and progress.
We have all been told how he studied Afrikaans, the language of his oppressors, in jail so that he could get into their head and be able to communicate effectively with them.
Relevant and practical education for all our leaders and all our people are a MUST that should be embraced.
2. Even though he was taken away from his children and loved ones, he was quick to make amends with open arms and compliments after he was released from jail. OPEN ARMS, COMPLIMENTS and INFECTIOUS SMILES were Mandela’s trademarks and he used them effectively to accomplish his goals.
For me, that accidental phone call gingered me on and I became even more determined to withstand the enormous hurdles that had to be confronted in building an international business across infrastructure-challenged Africa.
He touched me from a distance spiritually and unbeknownst to him (because I never met him to tell him what the incident did for me), he nudged me and many Africans in many fields to soldier on and not to give up.
If he could endure 27 years of incarceration for the cause of his people, surely each and every one of us should be able to also endure some difficulties, sacrifices and even ‘symbolic’ death for the cause of dignity, unity and progress for ourselves and mankind.
Advertisement
Archaeology has proven that LIFE began in Africa…
Mandela’s life is a true testament that the important seeds of humanity: DIGNITY, RESPECT AND EQUALITY can be planted in Africa and, therefore, spread across the globe to serve as the shining points-of-light to all of God’s children.
Madiba has, among others, helped to put Africa back on the map and through his life’s work, Africa now stands tall not as a scar on human conscience but as a respectable and courageous MORAL FORCE, and a credible source of inspiration for all mankind!!
Madiba you did GOOD
Madiba you inspired us
And now the torch you lit is in our hands
Advertisement
We shall soldier on
And we shall dance your dance
And why not, we shall smile your smile
And we shall embrace each other with love and in your name
Rest well our brother
Rest well our leader
Long Live Africa