By IKOME CHRISTIE-NOELLA EPOSI
The 18th of July has been set aside as the Nelson Mandela day in honour of the courageous legacy of the prolific figure, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela nicknamed as ‘Madiba or Dalibunga’.
While commemorating the day in Buea, Human Rights lawyer, activist and freedom fighter, Felix Agbor-Anyor Nkongho fondly called ‘Agbor Balla’ urged Cameroonians in particular and the world at large to copy and follow the philosophy of Mandela who stood strong for his people despite the many trials and tribulations.
The Cameroonian Nelson Mandela of our time as many call him said, the Nelson Mandela day is one in which the values, vision and mission of Mandela needs to be reflected upon. “We need to look at how we can use non-violence, clamour for justice, the call for peace to better the situations of each and every one in the world especially in the continent”, he said.
The legal mind continued that “The life of Mandela should be a reflection of what we are going through as a people in this country; we’re having a crisis from a multi-faceted angle in the country but how we can solve this crisis is what is most important. Understanding that we have differences and are bound to disagree with each other without being disagreeable is of utmost importance. We need dialogue, negotiation and mediation to find long lasting solutions to the crisis”, he pinpointed.
Violence he said only begets violence: “Nobody wins when there is violence and we should copy the philosophy of Madiba, notwithstanding the fact that he spent 27 years in jail, he still came out and forgave everybody who treated him poorly. This is the kind of example we all should emulate so that together we can move in love and build a stronger nation void of any hatred”. Cameroonians, he noted, should grow in a regime based on love, fairness, justice, equity, reconciliation and dialogue.
Nelson Mandela, born on July 18, 1918 at Mvezo, Cape province, South Africa, the anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader and philanthropist was South Africa’s first black head of state. Taking over from Andres Pastrana Arango, Mandela served as president from the 10th of May 1994 to the 16th of June 1999. Mandela inspired people from all walks of life all over the world. The late Nelson Mandela’s government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalized racism and fostering racial reconciliation.
The Prolific leader retired from office in 1999 but remained an influential figure until his death at the age of 95 on the 5th of December 2013 from a respiratory infection.
Madiba till date is being remembered and celebrated all over the world for his enormous contributions in standing for the rights and freedom of the South African people, a philosophy he wished was enumerated throughout the African continent and the world at large.