Nelson Mandela (1918-2013): Keeping the Legacy Alive

Featured Image: ALEXANDER JOE / Getty Images

I woke up yesterday from my afternoon siesta to the sound of the news alert on the national television. The television screen read the headline, “World Mourns over the Loss of the Great Madiba”.

I sat up straight and rubbed my eyes that were still murky from the sleep and the chants and sobs of Hamba Kahle Madiba filled into my ears. Madiba? It all made little sense to me until the network splashed an enormous picture of Nelson Mandela across the screen. And the 95 years old legend passes away, I suddenly understood.

A moment of silence, I reminded myself and as I sat quietly to honor the passing of the great man, the words that reverberated in my mind were; He Came, He fought, He Conquered…

Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom: The Dark Knight, The Chosen One!

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) is a global icon whose claim to fame unlike most others did not owe to any ludicrously multiplying reserves of oil, gold or holdings. The man is remembered today for the tough resistance he had single handedly initiated against oppression and racism that prevailed in the colonized parts of Africa. He is known to have freed the Africans from the shackles of slavery and the atrocities of apartheid.

The man relentlessly continued his fight despite the hurdles and obstacles in his way. He did not let any face and form of tyranny and cruelty intimidate him. And finally, he succeeded in his mission of setting the black men free. He became the first black president of South Africa and worked incessantly for the betterment of the nation as long as his health and age allowed him to.

The Teachings of Mandela: All Hail the Madiba!

He will undoubtedly remain the greatest African or Madiba of all times and his teachings about love, peace and tolerance will transcend generations and centuries. The life he lived is a perfect example of altruism, humanity and peace. He gifted to his men what most of us take for granted and inspired them to stand up for their honor and right.

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must 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.” —Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

Flags Flown Today at Half-Mast in America:

What intrigued the most Americans, like me, was how would be the reaction of President Obama who himself is the first black president of the US of America. The first indication of remorse came through the flag atop the White House. It was lowered to half mast in honor of the legend’s passing.

Later, President Obama pointedly said, "He no longer belongs to us; he belongs to the ages,” he described Mandela to have reshaped the affairs of South Africa through his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others…

Nelson Mandela was in my opinion the chosen one. He will remain my favorite hero, a savior and a knight. Like we remember Bob Marley and Chi Guvera to this date through freedom songs and their spoken words, we shall remember Mandela too in the times to come through his work and preaching.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF), for instance, is working actively to collect the necessary information to fight off the diseases posing a threat to the African Population. The foundation carried out its first national, household sero-prevalence survey of HIV/AIDS in 2002 and, to this date, it is one of the most active NGOs of the region. All thanks to Mandela for the initiative and an aspiration to see his men better off.

Hamba Kahle Madiba. Go Well Mandela.