A PURPOSE FULFILLED - LESSONS FROM NELSON MANDELA.

All day, I've felt a sense of profound loss.

I'd awoken to the news of the death of Nelson Mandela. I'd reached for my phone as I'm wont  to do as soon as I open my eyes in the mornings. As the news and eulogies following his passing flooded my timeline on Twitter, I shut my eyes again in disbelief and tried to digest the news. A short while later, I heard my Dad bellow from the living room, 'Mandela is dead!' with a voice filled with disbelief, shock and pain. 

All day, the media - television, radio and social media poured accolades. World leaders, from Barak Obama to Ban Ki Moon to Sepp Blater paid respect and tribute on this political icon and legend who was the salt of Africa. He had sacrificed and dedicated his life to peace, justice, equality and reconciliation. Not just among his people but to all peoples of the World.

The truth is that most of us never knew the man. My earliest memories of him were in songs by Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Brenda Fasie, Envangelist Sunny Okosun, Ras Kimono and the likes, decrying Apartheid and demanding his release. While we may not have known him personally, it does not make his passing any less hurtful, nor the sense of loss any less poignant. All over the social media - Facebook, Twitter, words like,

'Rest in Peace Madiba'

'Papa Africa Rests'

'You will never be forgotten Nelson Mandela.'

'The soul of Africa has departed...'

Even as most of the World mourn the passing of this titan whom most have described as a     world hero, critics and cynics have had their own share of comments - forefront among them being Nigerian commentators. Some were of the view that Nigerians had quickly fallen into  the tradition of crying more than the bereaved. Some cite the death of Prof Chinua Achebe, whom they feel was not adequately mourned by South Africa and South Africans, even though it is unfair to compare the two men. Some point to the political and diplomatic friction that has existed between Nigerians and South Africans in recent years. Others deride the President, Jonathan Ebele Good-luck as being too much in a haste in  declaring a 3 day national mourning.

To some extent, I agree with the cynics and critics. Do I, as a Nigerian and and an African feel this loss so deeply because of the universal outpouring of grief? Or do I feel a sense of loss because of a deep guilt that I as a Nigerian, an African and a citizen of the World have not done what I ought to?

The real questions that Madiba's passing forces me to ask myself and indeed we all should ask are, Would I willingly fight against instituted corruption in Nigeria? Would I willingly shed off the shackles of religion and ethnicity to fight for a Nigeria I believed in? Would I willingly champion the cause of the poor and down-trodden in my nation? Would I willingly give a voice to the millions of marginalised Nigerians? Would I willingly do this in the face of persecution, untold hardship, incaceration and - even death? Could I fight based on my personal convictions on human rights and justice as Nelson Mandela fought?

A lover of peace... Did you know he offered himself as a human shield to the Iraqis in a bid to prevent the US 2003 action against Iraq? That type of self sacrifice moves me, it boggles my mind and demands that I be a better Nigerian, a less self-serving and more selfless human being. A man never ernamoured of power or wealth, he gave out the numerous gifts that came to him from admirers around the world and single-handedly supported 50 or so charities.

He transcended boundaries, race, creed, religion, steel bars and hatred and showed us all how much a single human being could accomplish. One man's legacy bestowed upon his nation the goodwill of all nations. How profound! In the face of the tremendous fight for the principles and values he believed in, he retained an aura of peace and was never without his broad smile for which he was famously known. How remarkable!

Rather than castigate/ criticise our government/ leaders and make comparisms, Nelson Mandela's passing must cause us - each and everyone to look inwards as individuals and as human beings. It must cause us to question our moral fiber/ character and push us to look for once, beyond ourselves to something larger, more lasting and meaningful.

Only yesterday, I came across a little note on instagram. The words haunted me all day and caused some deep soul searching. It said,

"We all Die

The Goal is not to live forever

The Goal is to creates something that will."

Madiba created a legacy that will endure and in his doing so, showed the path each citizen of the world must strive to follow. He has certainly showed me...

Rest in Peace Great One. Rest in Peace Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.