davidylan:

Mandela is not an African statesman sorry to say. . . i see nothing he has done for Africa beyond serving 27yrs in prison for violence.

Why should his statue be in London? Do they have churchill's statue in Durban?

I actually see him the same way. This is what I get. The man served along side others. He served 27years. He really had no choice. Many died but he lived. I don't get it. Why is he a god and what about the others I am african and I was alive during the whole Apartheid move and I have to confess, I do not understand what the fuzz is REALLY about.

davidylan:

Mandela is not an African statesman sorry to say. . . i see nothing he has done for Africa beyond serving 27yrs in prison for violence.

Why should his statue be in London? Do they have churchill's statue in Durban?

Steve Biko was more deserving of this honor to be honest. At least he died struggling for a free South Africa.
Mandela was president for 4yrs, what change did he bring to SA beyond appointing his crony Mbeki to succeed him?

@ davidylan and Koboko

could you please define what qualifies a man/woman to be regarded as a statesman?

I believe Mandela served as a unifying point for the nation, a true father who people could relate with, black or white, his truth and reconciliation conference, as well as other noble acts served to galvanise the country's development

In a continent fraught with sit tight leaders from Egypt in the North to Namibia in the South, stepping down after one term in the relatively rich and prosperous South Africa where there is even more opportunity for looting and other vices, is a truly noble and noteworth act indeed, something our dear Obj could not manage.

debosky:

@ davidylan and Koboko

could you please define what qualifies a man/woman to be regarded as a statesman?

I believe Mandela served as a unifying point for the nation, a true father who people could relate with, black or white, his truth and reconciliation conference, as well as other noble acts served to galvanise the country's development

In a continent fraught with sit tight leaders from Egypt in the North to Namibia in the South, stepping down after one term in the relatively rich and prosperous South Africa where there is even more opportunity for looting and other vices, is a truly noble and noteworth act indeed, something our dear Obj could not manage.

I am sorry @Debosky. I just don't see what sets him apart from the others. There are many noble men in that same continent but why him?? I am not sure after considering what part he played and the part others play, I can say without a doubt that he is a true stateman. I can't. I also feel the same way about Princess Diana, I still can't figure out why 10 years after her death people still celebrate her, what exactly is being celebrated?? I really do not get it.

I will even go as far as to say that he was chosen by the people to be the symbol for their cause. It could have been anyone of the other men in prison with him but by some move of fate, he was the one chosen and so we have him today,

In 1956 Mandela was charged with treason and many other serious crimes, but he was acquitted of them five years later. After being found not guilty he started up protests on the subject of black people’s rights, at the same time he went into hiding but was later caught in 1962. For 27 years, six months and six days Nelson Mandela was a prisoner and a symbol of apartheid's oppression.

During his detention in a South African prison many people made him there symbol of injustice against the black race in South Africa. Many groups would not even talk to the government about peace until Mandela release.

Now I already see this being turned into another BASH-FEST by some in here so maybe we need to leave this for another thread before some one in here gets a heart attack because I do not believe as he/she does.

his_grace:

Then you are right and Britain is wrong - but sorry, I know that noone listens to you and I am sure this will not make them to reverse their opinion - neither will they be so stupid to take this comment as coming from someone with intellect.

my dear, grow up and go get some balls. At least me without intellect still manages to contribute my widows mite on these threads, you with all the intellect what do you contribute besides running here like a naked ram to insult others unprovoked?
Bush man.

debosky:

@ davidylan and Koboko

could you please define what qualifies a man/woman to be regarded as a statesman?

Can you place Mandela on the same pedestal as Nkrumah? What has Mandela done that we can always look back on 5 yrs after his death?

debosky:

I believe Mandela served as a unifying point for the nation, a true father who people could relate with, black or white, his truth and reconciliation conference, as well as other noble acts served to galvanise the country's development

lol that does not qualify him as a statesman either. He is merely a product of white guilt eager to show that racism is a thing of the past.

debosky:

In a continent fraught with sit tight leaders from Egypt in the North to Namibia in the South, stepping down after one term in the relatively rich and prosperous South Africa where there is even more opportunity for looting and other vices, is a truly noble and noteworth act indeed, something our dear Obj could not manage.

That the criteria for being a statesman in Africa includes the fact that you step down for someone else as president is a big shame to us as a race. It implies that we have an inherent problem that other races do not have.

Will Obasanjo one day qualify as an elderstatesman because he left office in 2007?

Obj was forced out - not because he was willing, but because he failed to achieve his evil intentions

Nkrumah and Mandela will be on the same pedestal in my view, Nkrumah's main achievement was his vocal call for pan-Africanism, not much more than that. For Mandela to serve as a rallying point for millions of repressed and suffering people and come out of it not with an attitude of bitterness, but one of reconciliation and a genuine desire to move forward, he cannot but be called a statesman

I don't believe Mandela was a product of white guilt, he arose as a leader willing to sacrifice even his life for the struggle. If he was not important, he would not have been kept as long as he was, and would not have the widespread support from the S/A people he got (and is still getting)

Mandela's achievements 5 years after his death? Even while he is alive his achievements are stellar. His personal clout and international goodwill has ensured that S/A benefits from a wide range of foreign investments, even the successful world cup bid is in part due to his personal involvement, in addition to the preparedness of the nation as a whole.

In Africa having the nerve to step down IS a criteria, because it means going against the accepted norms even when it is not to your own personal benefit. He elevated himself above the mundane politics by making sure he simply served as the connecting bridge between S/A's sad past and its very promising future.

He did not get self aggrandized like Mugabe (ruling since Independence) but stepped aside and created a culture, nay, an Institution of proper succession, in a continent where there are very few examples of such.

His personal advocacy on issues such as HIV/AIDS and other basic humanitarian causes are well known. He is more than deserving of being a statesman

Steve Biko and others were martyrs and have their own place in History as well, but Mandela's selflessness above all makes him a statesman in my book.

Let me get this straight. . . . .Kwame Nkrumah,an iconic statesman?You wouldn't be saying that if you were one of the thousands of innocents locked up under the Preventive Detention Act.We are talking of man who declared Ghana a one-party state,who declared himself President for Life.A man whose Marxist leanings left Ghana poorer than it was before independence with mounting foreign debts and economic recession.

People love Nkrumah for being a spokesperson on Pan-Africanist ideals,however,the cliche,"action speaks louder than words" comes to mind when reflecting on Nkrumah.If a pedophile is a brilliant and eloquent spokesman on human rights issues,that doesn't mitigate the fact that he is still a pedophile.If a thieving dictatorial politician a la Nkrumah was a vocal Pan-Africanist,it still doesn't justify his thieving and dictatorial inclinations.

With respect to Mandela,the label of iconic statesman is more befitting.He embodied selfless leadership,a quality sorely lacking amongst Africa's leaders.However,his silence on the issue of HIV/AIDS while he was President has helped cost the lives of hundreds of thousands.

Another deserving African leader for me was Seretse Khama,Botswana's post-independence leader.He turned,one of the poorest countries in Africa into the fastest growing economy in the World between 1966 and 1980.He lent support to the Rhodesian militant movement and helped build a lasting democracy and one of Africa's strongest economies.