Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the death of South African nationalist Mr. Nelson Mandela has deprived Africa and the world at large of one of the greatest statesmen that ever lived.
In a condolence message released by his media office in Abuja, former Vice President Atiku said Mandela was statesman extraordinaire and a remarkable politician in a class of his own.
Atiku recalled hosting Mandela at the ground breaking ceremony of the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre on March 4, 2000 in Abuja.
He said that Mandela’s tribute to Yar’Adua at that epoch event underscored his commitment to democracy and human liberty.
According to Atiku, Mandela could have inadvertently been speaking of himself at that event when he described Yar’Adua as “a great African, a defender of democracy and a brave and courageous freedom fighter (who) paid the supreme price for democracy, freedom and justice.”
After having realised his quest for the establishment of multi-party democracy for South Africa, Mandela who said he had always been disturbed by events in Nigeria turned his attention to our country and said in that speech that he was happy to see democracy take root in Nigeria once again.
The former Vice President reminded that Mandela’s contribution to return to democracy in our country included his leading push for sanctions on Nigeria following the execution of the environmental activist, Ken Saro Wiwa.
According to Atiku, one of the greatest lessons the late Mandela had taught the world was that power was not a matter of life and death.
He recalled that the late Mandela had opted to serve for only one term at a time other African imperial dictators were busy scheming how to stay in power perpetually, even against the wishes of the citizens.
Atiku explained that Mandela would always be remembered for ensuring smooth transition from one form of government to another without plunging his country into tensions and distractions.
The former Vice President also recounted Mandela’s other shining virtues. “Even Mandela’s worst enemies cannot deny that fact that his level of magnanimity was remarkable; that his tolerance was exemplary. Above all, the late Mandela pursued a policy of reconciliation and forgiveness at a point some people were expecting him to exact vengeance on his oppressor,” the former Vice President said.
