¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤A Tribute: Mandela’s Ailing Health.
By Yero Jallow
Development coming from South Africa about Mandela’s health is not pleasing at all. While many news outlets described his situation as stable, many others including a statement from the South African Government hinted that his health condition is serious this time around. (Reuters, June 8th 2013).
Mandela’s greatness doesn’t wholly stem from the fact that he was a president or an apartheid hero. Agreeably, something stood very clear about a world icon of Mandela’s caliber. It is certainly his wisdom to face the realities of life and live it to the letter. He knows that a leader doesn’t always have to be in the forefront. The best leadership in my view which I share from my understanding of Mandela is leading from the back and within the background, and being that canoe compass at sea when all hope is lost.
After coming this far to understand the whys and whynots, I am forced to believe that some of our notions that brand all leaders as “great” and “gifted” robbed society of its value to the level of impotency. A leader is only as good if his mind is free from the criminal nature of his or her inside monster. Mandela is one heroic resistance of times that understood leadership to the core. He knew when to come in, how long to stay, and when to leave.
Perhaps when the inevitable dawns about the great Madiba, as with all humans, he will not be mourned only as an African hero, a former South African President or even an apartheid veteran, but an iconic symbol of world liberation, a generational model and a father figure who was guided well.
I guess whatever eventuality of his health status; I am just putting my thoughts and prayers for him. Our world is certainly not ready yet as a world without Madiba is just too bleak.
Madiba, may the good spirit for which you lived a true life always be with you. I ask all of you to continually remember our Madiba in your heart.
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