Madiba For You I Shed a Tear

2013-1918 = 95

Yes, ninety five very significant years

for someone with special messianic qualities,

whose oppressors saw justification in the name,

Rolihlahla (in Xhosa meaning trouble maker),

to enlist you as a terrorist or black pimpernel,

for your skills at hide and seek with apartheid enforcers;

Who else could have seen it all in 71 years,

over two decades of which you had to serve time -

13 gruelling years with hard labour quarrying limestone in Robben Island?

For 10 years you could not even see your own children

and worst of all, not be allowed to attend the funeral of your son who died in a car accident.

Yet all this, you saw as a ‘Long Journey to Freedom’ for all.

Only you and you alone could have selflessly gone through all that to set your people free

Madiba, for you I shed a tear,

And yet wiggle to the rhythm of Soweto drums,

mourning your passing and celebrating your life with songs and drums,

for today, even in death the light blazes on your towering figure;

from the bearer of No. 46664 of a 7sq ft cell in Robben island

to President in the hearts of all throughout the world.

The most revered statesman and a moral compass of the continent,

the champion of human dignity and freedom,

the father of one nation but an inspiration to all

the greatest African leader of the 20^th century,

a unique moral authority.

Your legacy – selflessness and unbridled love of humanity.

For you I shed tears of joy for being a teacher to the world,

More so as you are from Africa.

Let the land of our ancestors be gentle with you.

Au Revoir Madiba!

African leaders, as the whole world mourns and celebrates the extraordinary life of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, I have a few soul-searching questions for your consciences:

1. How many of you would have been willing to sacrifice so much for your people?
2. How many of you, after 27 gruelling years serving an unjustified prison term would have relinquished power the way he did in the name of democracy?
3. How many of you, with all that the world could offer, would have preferred medical care in his own country instead of being flown abroad?
4. How many of you genuinely love your countries and the continent the way Madiba did?
5. How many of you would win the hearts of your people and the world at large the way he did?
6. Why is it that after having produced a leader like Nelson Mandela, the continent is still fraught with dictators and corrupt leaders?
7. Nelson Mandela has left a great legacy for the whole world to see, what will be your own legacy? The questions are legion........

7/12/2013