South Africa Tourism (SAT) has marked Dr. Nelson Mandela’s Centenary birthday asserting that “Mandela put South Africa and Africa on the global map” while his celebrating the legacy of their country’s icon with the lineup of programs to showcase its tourism products to Nigeria and West Africa. Mr. Hloni Pitso, Manager, West Africa for SAT, made the remarks through his Trade Relations Manager, Mr. Mohammed Tanko Kwajaffa during the event.
South African Consulate in Lagos in collaboration with South African Tourism (SAT) West Africa held Dr. Nelson Mandela’s Centenary with a weeklong celebration which started with a media parley at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos and was notably attended by diplomatic Corps from Ghana, Mali and Senegal, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and UN Information Center representatives in Nigeria.
In the spirit of the Dr. Nelson Mandela’s Centenary, SAT celebrated the legacy of their icon that went the extra mile and spent his life in the fight for the emancipation of his country from the shackles of the worst apartheid regime in the world.
Mr. Darkey Africa, The Consul General of South African Consulate, speaking at the media event in his key note speech said that, “This year marks the Centenary of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, to be celebrated under the theme “Be the Legacy”. Mr. Mandela would have turned 100 should he had been alive.
In his words, ‘Mandela or Madiba is well known and respected globally as a symbol of the struggle against apartheid and all forms of racism, the icon and the hero of African liberation. Mandela has been called a freedom fighter, a great man, a global icon and a living legend amongst other countless other names. He has been an activist, a political prisoner, South Africa’s first democratically elected president, an international peacemaker and statesman, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Mr. Darkey asserted that, “Mandela sacrificed the joys of family life and of seeing his children grow up Mandela is a universal symbol of freedom and reconciliation, an icon representing the triumph of the human spirit. During his lifetime he not only dedicated himself to the struggle of the African people
‘Most ordinary South Africans knew little about Mandela during his prison years, as the apartheid government suppressed information, and what was released was biased. But prison bars could not prevent him from continuing to inspire his people to struggle and sacrifice for their liberation.
‘Public opinion polls repeatedly showed that he was the most popular leader the country has ever had. As the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group observed in 1986, he had become “a living legend”, galvanising the resistance in his country. He is the most honoured political prisoner in history. He has received prestigious international awards, the freedom of many cities and honorary degrees from several universities’, he maintained.
This year’s Nelson Mandela International Day will mark the Centenary of Nelson Mandela on 18 July 2018.
‘Every year, the International Mandela Day is celebrated to make a difference by encouraging people to devote 67 minutes of their time to undertake tasks that would bring joy and relief to the needy in the communities, thus contributing towards changing the world for better.
Concluding his speech, Mr. Darkey explained that “In commemorating the Centenary of Nelson Mandela, the Mission in partnership with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) will host a Lecture on 16 July 2018 at the NIIA premises in Lagos. The Mission is also collaborating with the Mandela Gardens in Asaba, Delta State, to plant new five trees to add ninety-five trees to make a total of 100 trees in the Garden and will as part of 67 minutes charity work, handover food parcels at an Orphanage in Asaba. The Mission will also participate in the United Nations Association of Nigeria organised event in Lagos at the Freedom Park, to clean the premises”.
In his reaction, Dr. Ronald D. Kayanja, Director, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) explained that “The UN over the years have adopted programs that have been targeted at improving prison conditions all over the world’.
The United Nations General Assembly in 2009 declared 18th of July as the International Nelson Mandela Day (Mandela Day). This was in recognition of his dedication to the service of humanity. In 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted the revised United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and approved that they will be called the Nelson Mandela Rules.
The UN General Assembly acknowledged personal attributes of Nelson Mandela notably, his generosity of spirit, tolerance and capacity to forgive personal pains for common good and generally his dedication to the pursuit of mutual acceptance and culture of peace among people and the promotion of democracy.
Musicians have been inspired to compose songs and music in his honour. Major international art exhibits have been dedicated to him and some of the most prominent writers have contributed to books for him and about him. Even an atomic particle has been named after him.
By Renn Offor
