Mandela LONG WALK to FREEDOM... THE JOURNEY IS CONTINUING Article By Frazier Light



It’s hard to understand what South Africa went through during their struggling for independence. Being the last country in Africa to attain independence in 1992, you can try to imagine how long their journey was. It was Nelson Mandela who nailed the achievement for independence through his vision, faith, passion and persistence!

Freedom! IT’S A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM.

Let’s catch up with what Mandela went through in his walk to freedom! Most of us just know about 27 years in prison! But it was more than that. There is so Much Africa and the world can learn from Mandela’s long walk to freedom.

During his time in prison, he was informed about his son’s death and worst enough he was denied from going to bury his son. He was parted from his wife and children for decades! I can imagine how hurting that is, to any father.

All these didn’t make Mandela turn back, he kept walking forward! They imprisoned him, thinking that the walls and strokes of the prison will make him a slave prisoner! But even prison couldn’t make him a prisoner; he was a freeman, always a freeman. All that he knew and acts upon was “a FREE South Africa”.

When he was informed about how Native South Africans are killed violently in the streets, yet it didn’t change his vision of “a free South Africa”. Even when all others were freaked out and diverge from a way to freedom, he was focused, focused to the future of South Africa. Not just the future without Boers in South Africa, but the future with HOPE, PROGRESS and LEGACY to South Africa.

He saw that day even before it happened. All that he wanted was to see his people as free as he was. Mandela was Born a free man; he was never colonized! But South Africa was! When a president/governor told Mandela “I have taken a decision to release you unconditionally, and I have arranged a plane and a ceremony at a big stadium in Soweto…” Mandela replied “You people have taken away a half of my life, and are returning me an old man to home that has been long abandoned and a family that have grown up without me. I don’t want you at my side at that moment. I DON’T WANT IT TO BE TOLD THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME MY FREEDOM. Just open the gate and let me go” Mandela knew that he was always free, and he had his freedom all along since then! Freedom is a state of mind and spirit. If You are not a free man you can’t set others with a slavery mentality free.

Freedom is living the future in a very present

The Boers summoned Mandela to negotiate about terms and conditions of their freedom! They took him from a physical prison to a mental prison where he was given nice and big house with everything he wanted, presidential treatment and security, nice suits, and a permission to be with his family. The only question he asked was “IS THIS MY NEW PRISON?” They tried to trade his freedom, to buy the future of South Africa for a house, cars and suits! He didn’t let that happen.

FUTURE IS PRICELESS.

Today in Most African countries, leaders have sold the future of their people. They have sold land to foreigners and left the natives, the rightful heirs with no hope! They have sold Gas and Gold, they are giving contracts to Foreigners and leave the qualified intellectuals begging for jobs from foreigners! They import everything even the very things we can produce on our own! This is what Mandela perceived as colonialism and slavery! Not just the presence of Western People in Africa, But the absence of Africans in their own future.  

IT’S A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM.

All a Leader needs is people. You have people you have the future. Mandela told the Boers “You have the strongest army in Africa, But We Have 30 million people”. TO A LEADER, people are assets. Recently in Tanzania, politicians of the opposition parties said something I believe was very wrong. They said “Youths are this nation’s Bomb that waits to explode” what a wrong perception! WHAT A HOPELESS OPINION.

YOUTH ARE NOT A BOMB! WE ARE NOT A BOMB WAITING TO EXPLODE. WE ARE THE FUTURE. WE ARE THE ASSETS OF THE NATION! WE ARE YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS WHO WILL OWN BIG COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS SOONER OR LATER. Unemployment cannot stop us from dreaming, determine and pursuing. WE ARE NOT BOMBS.

How a leader perceives his people determines what future he can bring to them.
The Boers told Mandela “If the black will take over, the country is finished” see this; if you can’t believe the people you are leading, you can’t see a brighter future in/for them. To The Boers if the blacks take over; the country is finished. To Mandela when blacks take over the country is redeemed.

Boer’s vision speaks of the END! Mandela’s Vision speaks of the BEGINNING. Two different perceptions, two different predictions! Two different results!

LEADERS OF AFRICA, BELIEVE IN YOUR PEOPLE. BELIEVE IN THAT WOMAN WHO SELLS TOMATOES TO FEED HER FAMILY, BELIEVE IN THAT MAN WHO CULTIVATES MAIZE AND SELL IT CHEAP JUST TO TAKE HIS DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL. BELIEVE IN THAT CHILD WHO DESPITE OF POVERTY HE/SHE BELIEVES ONE DAY SHE CAN LEAD HER PEOPLE TO ECONOMIC BREAKTHROUGH. BELIEVE EVEN IN THAT YOUTH WHO GAVE UP AND THROW HIMSELF INTO DRUGS AND PROSTITUTION.

Mandela Knew that, FREEDOM IS WHEN YOU LIVE WITHOUT FEAR AND HATRED.

This is what any leader should ensure to his people. Security in all aspects of life. Where there is security there is no fear hatred and anger. AND WHERE THERE IS NO FEAR THERE IS FUTURE.
Boers told Mandela “We don’t believe that you don’t want revenge! All that we have done to you!!?” And Mandela said “You are right, I Do; But I want something more than that, and that is to live without fear and hatred” “I have no choice, I have seen what fear has done to your people, you have always being afraid of us, and that has made you unjust and brutal people” “Consider our position; we know that one day we will be free and we will be the rulers of our country; but do we want to live in the same hell as you do now! That will be locking ourselves back into prison, and our children and generation after that”.

IT IS A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM.

The journey of freedom to African Countries is continuing. We are not free yet, we are not free until we are INDEPENDENT; Socially, Economically and Politically. WE ARE THE FUTURE OF THAT JOURNEY! Why? Because we are young and motivated young adults, we have visions and dreams, we have energy to work regardless how unconducive the environment can be! Let us finish this for good. Let us accomplish this journey started long time ago by our forefathers.

Our leaders today steal from our resources! They think they are stealing from us! They are stealing from their grandsons and daughters. They are stealing from their own future! They steal because they can’t see and think of the future. THEY STEAL BECAUSE THEY ARE POOR. And a poor person can never get enough.

Mwalimu Nyerere was once asked “Teacher, you are the founder of our nation, a president of our nation, you deserve a mighty place! Your house is so small!!” And he said “Why would I want I mansion, I am not an elephant, this is enough for me and my wife”

The reason why Nyerere didn’t steal from our resources was because the vision he had was so big even the resources of the nation weren’t enough! He protected them because he knew our children and grandchildren need it, so as not to be beggars to Wazungu!

He lived for something beyond ordinary; he lived for the future of Tanzania. SO CAN ME AND YOU.

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