Although Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan has on several occasions over the years sought to assess the political legacy of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. However, at this time we will dutifully observe the mourning period of a man who was undoubtedly very much loved in his homeland. Nevertheless, it will be useful to examine some of the responses and “tributes” from the so-called great and the good, many of whom no doubt will be beating a path to Azania on December 15th for the funeral, also likely to be one of the largest gatherings of global dignitaries for a generation or more. Interestingly, if nothing else it should be one global occasion where the Europe will not be able to dictate the terms of Robert Mugabe’s presence. That event will certainly be a major production to rival the release from prison, the historic election, the concerts or the numerous Hollywood renderings by the likes of Morgan Freeman, Sidney Poitier, Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert, Terrence Howard and most recently Idris Elba.
On 06/12/13 the BBC reported: “Nelson Mandela death: David Cameron leads political tributes.” The UK Prime Minister was quoted as saying: "A great light has gone out in the world. Nelson Mandela was a hero of our time. Nelson Mandela was a towering figure in our time; a legend in life and now in death - a true global hero. Meeting him was one of the great honours of my life.”
However, this was in stark contrast to the David Cameron who was a leading member of Federation of Conservative Students in the 1980s when they produced “Hang Mandela” posters and went on apartheid regime funded junkets to Azania. Similarly, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who famously asserted in 2005 that the UK should “celebrate empire” and “stop apologising for its colonial past,” shared his reaction: "Nelson Mandela was the greatest leader of our generation. A leader of magnanimity, fortitude, unshakeable optimism and most of all, the most courageous man I ever met. What motivated Nelson Mandela and drove him to risk his life for freedom was a burning passion that irrespective of colour, race and background, all people are created equal - and his list of historic achievements starts with a multiracial South Africa."
Then there is Brown’s predecessor Anthony Charles Lynton Blair who opined: “Through his leadership, he guided the world into a new era of politics...” What this “new era” wasn’t able to do was prevent the massive lie-fest and bloodbath that is the Iraq war (over 1,000,000 deaths and counting), nor did it effect his recently revealed colonial mission to militarily topple the government of Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe in the early 2000s. Both of these examples occurred after Mandela had left office so perhaps it wasn’t the example of governance he was so inspired by.
No account would be complete without a response from “the leader of the free world” and President Barack Obama duly obliged: “His commitment to transfer power and reconcile with those who jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to. He was an influential, courageous and profoundly good man who inspired millions — including myself — to a spirit of reconciliation.” Yet Obama’s US administration wasn’t able to reconcile itself with Libya before invading and wreaking havoc in that country, nor even a 66 year-old grandmother called Assata Shakur, convicted of a crime she could not have physically committed 40 years ago, yet she was placed on the ten most wanted terrorist list (with an increased bounty) only this year. It should also be remembered that it was one of President Obama’s political heroes, Ronald Reagan, which placed Nelson Mandela and the ANC on the terrorist list in the 1980s (and was only lifted in 2008).
Whereas some Afrikans may feel a sense of pride that one of “our own” is so revered in Europe, it should be clear that the values so lauded and cherished in a Nelson Mandela are clearly not ones they demonstrably advocate for themselves. Therefore in a perverse way it could be argued that their tributes for Mandela are indeed genuine because the attributes embodied are truly those that the European world requires of Afrikan leaders. “Forgiveness”, for example was essential in Azania as it would ensure that Europeans maintained their strangle hold on the country – a country that has yet to see an Afrikan Finance Minister. The European world couldn’t forgive Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah for wanting to unite Afrika, nor Patrice Lumumba for wanting to show “what Afrikans can do when we work together in freedom,” nor even closer to home Steve Biko or Winnie Mandela for wanting to spark new generations of freedom fighters. Even Robert Mugabe was initially forgiven for his reconciliatory approach but now remains firmly “unforgiven” for his land reclamation and indigenization policies.
Indeed only June last year President Zuma lamented that “Whites still mostly control South Africa economy.” The depth of his lament is questionable as only weeks later he presided over the massacre of the Marikana Miners even as he, and his predecessors, have continued to preside over the incarceration of dozens of Apartheid era political prisoners like Kenny Motsamai of the Azanaian People’s Liberation Army and members of the Pan Africanist Congress.
So we ask the question:
Are the global tributes to Nelson Mandela genuine?
1. Will Azania change as a result of the passing of Nelson Mandela?
2. To what extent do those leaders lionizing Nelson Mandela demonstrate his attributes?
3. Why are qualities like reconciliation and forgiveness seemingly so important for Afrikans to have but not Europeans?
4. What caused the transformation of views on Nelson Mandela for David Cameron?
5. What would the response be if Robert Mugabe had a major role at the funeral?
6. Was Mandela’s greatest value to Europe was that he secured European interests in Azania?
7. If Mandela had treated the Europeans how the Europeans treat their adversaries how different would Azania be today?
Call us on
Phone: 020 8180 2523
Mobile: 07961 573883
Skype: voiceofafricaradio
You can also email or text us on
Text: 07904 899195
Call in and have your say!!
https://theblacklist.net/
Replies