Many countries have produced exceptional individuals who have attracted the world’s attention. They have become immortal by doing what they had promised. They are certainly above the hoi polloi. Their lofty thoughts have inspired many generations. Nelson Mandela belongs to that special category of people who dared to do what they thought was for the welfare of the common man. He was a political prisoner for 27 years, but his will power never waned. He said, “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People can be taught to love instead of hating, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Mandela has been hailed as a secular saint. Former US President Bill Clinton said, “Every time Nelson Mandela walks into a room we all feel a little bigger, we all want to stand up, we all want to cheer, because we like to be him on our best day.” Coming from a US president, the words have a certain weight and importance to the modern world.
Nelson Mandela was a master of his fate. The long period of imprisonment strengthened his mind to survive a difficult period of his life. He has been referred to by several other names. When he was born his father named him Rolihlahla which meant ‘pulling the branch of a tree.’ Colloquially it meant ‘troublemaker.’ When he attended school for the first time, his teacher Miss Mdingane gave him his English name ‘Nelson.’ Madiba was his clan name. Originally, Madiba was a Thembu Chief who ruled Transkei in the 18th century. Many South Africans called him ‘Tata’ meaning father as a term of endearment. He was also known as ‘Khulu’ (Great One) and Dalibhanga meaning ‘creator or founder of the council.’ Out of all the names Madiba was his affectionate nickname.
Birth
Mandela was born at the royal house of the Thembu tribe in 1918. After attending schools modelled on the British system he more or less became a Black Englishman. However, he knew that he was a black South African whose freedom was strictly limited. After his law studies he joined the African National Congress (ANC) which succeeded in abolishing the apartheid system of racial discrimination. The White regime did not treat him kindly. He was charged with organising an armed wing of the ANC. He was arrested and tried for treason. Finally, he received a life sentence.
He was sent to a maximum security prison in Robben Island off Cape Town. Any other prisoner would have given in to despair, but Mandela was made of sterner stuff. He did not allow his spirit to break down. His imprisonment revived a strong movement in South Africa calling the government to release Mandela from prison.
The rallying cry reverberated throughout the world. As a result, he was released from prison in 1990. When Mandela became a free man he became an active member of the ANC and pushed the government to hold elections open to all South Africans. In the election Mandela was elected South African President. Thereafter he worked relentlessly to break the racial divide and usher in democracy. Soon the White-majority rule gave way to multiracial democracy. He goes down history as a leader who brought about a peaceful transition.
President Nelson Mandela ruled South Africa for five years. During his tenure he established stability and peace in the country. He did not follow the beaten path of vengeance. Although Mandela was raised in the Methodist Church he had a broad outlook on religion. He did not want to be hostile to any other religion. He respected those who believed in an all-powerful God. As a leader he thought he should not go against any religious views because the relation between man and his religion is a personal matter.
AIDS patients
Like Princess Diana, Mandela also wanted to help the victims of HIV andAIDS. He visited the patients and sat down with them. One day he visited a house in which some AIDS patients had died. When he came out of the house, those who hailed him as a hero a few minutes ago started running away from him. After embracing an AIDS patient he appealed to the people not to isolate the patients suffering from terminal illnesses. He said that we should support the patients to fight back the dreaded disease. While in jail Mandela suffered from tuberculosis (TB). A fellow prisoner warned him not to disclose his secret to anybody else. However, Mandela did not want to hide his disease.
Mandela was concerned about the children’s education. He noticed that some children were not pursuing their studies due to poverty. He believed that education would empower anybody to face life’s challenges. When the United Nations was criticised for its inaction in certain controversial situations, Mandela said there was no institution in the world which had no weaknesses.
Mandela won many encomiums throughout his long life. He received over 695 awards, including the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize (1993) and the US Congressional Gold Medal (1998). A species of spider has been named ‘Singafrotypamandela’ in honour of him. A star-shaped orchid was named after Mandela in 1997 to mark his visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It is called the Paraanda Nelson Mandela. South African Airways (SAA) called its first airbus ‘Nelson Mandela’ to honour his great achievements on his 85th birthday in 2003.
Leadership style
Modern political leaders have many lessons to learn from Mandela. His leadership style was characterised by his deep commitment to nonviolence and reconciliation. He believed in the power of forgiveness and sought to bring about a new era of racial harmony in South Africa. His leadership style has inspired millions of people around the globe. He is one of the 12 great world leaders who had a tremendous influence on us during the past three decades.
According to his leadership method, you have to put the leader behind the followers. This is very important when you celebrate your victories. However, when there is a dangerous situation the leader has to take the front line. When you do so the people will appreciate your leadership skills. He has taught us two types of leadership. One is servant leadership, and the other is transformational leadership.
When Mandela fought against the colonisers he adopted the servant leadership style. As a servant leader he knew about other people’s self-interests. When Mandela adopted the transformational leadership style he followed ethical standards. His vision became clear as a result of following such different styles of leadership. On the other hand, he used his charismatic leadership skills to encourage people to achieve their goals.
When Nelson Mandela died in Johannesburg on December 5, 2013 at the age of 95, he left a social vacuum which cannot be filled easily.
