How Jaja Wachuku, A Prominent Nigerian Politician, Saved Nelson Mandela From Death Penalty in 1964


Jaja Wachuku is a name that can never be forgotten in the annals of Nigerian history and the country’s struggle for independence. Jaja Wachuku, during his lifetime, had a good reputation on both national and international levels for his selfless acts and strives for equity.

In 1964, Jaja Wachuku saved South Africa’s Nelson Mandela from death penalty during the Rivonia Trial which took place in South Africa between 9th of October, 1963 and 12th of June, 1964. OldNaija bring you more information about the little known involvement of Jaja Wachuku in saving Mandela’s life.


Nelson Mandela and twelve other South African political leaders who topped the list of people wanted by the South African police in 1961 went into hiding, but were found and arrested in 1963 on Liliesleaf Farm, Rivonia, the suburb of Johannesburg. As at that time, Mandela had been labeled a terrorist by the U.S. government, and along with other twelve politicians, he was convicted for sabotage. He pleaded guilty to sabotaging the government but denied other charges.

While in Prison, Nelson Mandela became more radical and was feared more by the government. During his trial in Rivonia, he rendered a three-hour speech in which he said “I am prepared to die” and was found guilty then sentenced to death in 1964. As at this time, Jaja Wachukwu (the first Speaker of the house of representatives in Nigeria) was the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria and had already served as the first Ambassador and Paramount Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations.

Jaja wachuku, as aforementioned, had a good reputation in his field of work and thus had a good relationship with top officials in the United Nations and the president of the United States. Jaja Wachuku who believed in Nelson Mandela and his cause saw his death sentence as a display of injustice and used his influence and connections to intervene in Mandela and the other twelve politicians’ death sentence.



After Jaja Wachuku’s intervention, the death sentence of Nelson Mandela and other twelve South African Politicians was changed to life imprisonment. However, Mandela spent only 27 years and eight months of the life sentence as he was released on the 11th of February, 1990 by President F. W. de Klerk.


Jaja Anucha Wachuku, a Royal Prince of Ngwa land in the Igbo part of Eastern Nigeria, was born on the 1st of January, 1918. He was a Pan-Africanist, politician, diplomat and lawyer. He was the first Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, as well as first Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He was also the first Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Jaja Wachuku died on the 7th of November, 1996.


Lalasticlala. Mynd44

https://oldnaija.com/2018/09/28/how-jaja-wachuku-a-prominent-nigerian-politician-saved-nelson-mandela-from-death-penalty-in-1964/

Thanks man

Another Educative Thread By Rob Rosky
Who Dey There Abeg Bring Chair!

Yamuri
9ice work

Jaja Anucha Wachuku (1 January 1918– 7 November 1996), a Royal Prince of Ngwaland, "descendant of 20 generations of African chiefs in the Igbo country of Eastern Nigeria," was a Pan-Africanist, and a Nigerian statesman, lawyer, politician, diplomat and humanitarian. He was the first Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives;[5] as well as first Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.[6] Also, Wachuku was the first Nigerian Minister for Foreign Affairs minister.


On Friday 6 March 2020, Ireland's Trinity College Dublin honoured Wachuku, "Nigeria’s first foreign minister," with a "Prominent Portrait" of Wachuku placed within the University's Historical Society room to mark 1770-2020: 250 Years Anniversary of "Hist:" College Historical Society; the oldest university debating society in Western Europe, at Trinity College Dublin: University of Dublin: Ireland; where Wachuku graduated in 1944 with first class honours degree in Legal Sciences; and was a member of College Historical Society. "A portrait of Nigeria’s first foreign minister, Dr Jaja Wachuku, now hangs in the historical society’s conversation room in Trinity College Dublin."

At a time when the United States government had already listed Nelson Mandela as a terrorist, Wachuku, who was "widely respected" as Foreign Affairs Minister of Nigeria intervened with the South African government and helped save Nelson Mandela and others from the death penalty at the 1963–64 Rivonia Trial.] In his 1962 diary, from Lagos: Nigeria, Nelson Mandela wrote: "Friday 18 May 1962: 1pm: OR and I meet Mr. Jaja Wachuku and his staff and have a profitable discussion. Saturday 19 May 1962: We have lunch with Jaja Wachuku."

On Thursday 30 September 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria conferred on Wachuku a posthumous special Golden Jubilee Independence Anniversary Award for his outstanding contributions towards the development of Nigeria. Also, for the 1 January 2014 100-year anniversary of Nigeria, having been nominated for exceptional recognition by the Presidential Committee on the Centenary Celebrations, Wachuku was, on Friday 28 February 2014, honoured as a Hero of the Struggle for Nigeria's Independence from Great Britain and a Pioneer Political Leader by President Goodluck Jonathan.



Lalasticlala. Mynd44
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaja_Wachuku

Wonderful.
Rest In Peace Aparthaid
Rest In Peace Nelson Mandela
Rest In Peace Jaja Wachuku
You Are A True Hero!
Oh Lord We Also Wish To Celebrate Our President This Way.
When Wil Thy Will Be Done

Nice stories

He accomplished many "FIRST'S "

Jaja Anucha Ndubuisi Wachuku no doubt is one of the few great statesmen to have come out from Nigeria ( I don't think we have any now we can call a statesman)
He has done much for Nigerian, and Africa , and the world at large. This man need to be honoured more in Nigeria and South Africa.

His only funny moment was when he was see sleeping in United Nations meeting

After reading this story I was proud to be a Nigerian then I remembered that buhari is still our president then I became angry again

Oh! Even Jaja Disgraced Us In The 90s.
Look At Him Sleeping

Jaja wachukwu
They didn’t write about you because you are not from their side
Easterners mistake was allow the west control media in early 60s
They virtually downgraded anyone that is not from their side
Okadigbo
Ojukwu
Azikiwe
Ironsi
Kanu
Okonjo iweala
Patience Jonathan
Etc
While they elevate their own
The same cup they used against ojukwu,they are using on MNK ,immediately sunday igboho emerged he became a hero
While kanu became a run away
Kanu that was once in Nigeria agitating
Well cockroach will always be guilty in court of fowls

LMS1:
Oh! Even Jaja Disgraced Us In The 90s.
Look At Him Sleeping

You can blame him he was carrying the weight of Nigeria at the UN..... So he was tired and slept of

LMS1:
Another Educative Thread By Rob Rosky
Who Dey There Abeg Bring Chair!

Did you know that Jaja Wachuku, is the first Nigerian Minister for Foreign Affairs.?

Did you know Jana Wachuku was the first Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representative




The heroic of Nelson Mandela would not have been known if Wachuku did not raise to his defense

robosky02:



Did you know that Jaja Wachuku, is the first Nigerian Minister for Foreign Affairs.?

Did you know Jana Wachuku was the first Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representative




The heroic of Nelson Mandela would not have been known if Wachuku did not raise to his defense

Say No More Jaja Is Better Than Buhari And All Is Cow Combined

robosky02:
Jaja Anucha Ndubuisi Wachuku no doubt is one of the few great statesmen to have come out from Nigeria ( I don't think we have any now we can call a statesman)
He has done much for Nigerian, and Africa , and the world at large. This man need to be honoured more in Nigeria and South Africa.

His only funny moment was when he was see sleeping in United Nations meeting

He was.not sleeping.

The real story I learnt was that he was mimicking sleeping because somebody was giving a very unfavourable speech( I have forgotten it) about an issue.

The UN is a place for a lot of dramatics.

Biafrawemove:
Jaja wachukwu
They didn’t write about you because you are not from their side
Easterners mistake was allow the west control media in early 60s
They virtually downgraded anyone that is not from their side
Okadigbo
Ojukwu
Azikiwe
Ironsi
Kanu
Okonjo iweala
Patience Jonathan
Etc
While they elevate their own
The same cup they used against ojukwu,they are using on MNK ,immediately sunday igboho emerged he became a hero
While kanu became a run away
Kanu that was once in Nigeria agitating
Well cockroach will always be guilty in court of fowls

Please don't be silly

First of all, Namdi Kanu made it a point insulting other tribes, their leaders and everything about them, So he did very little to gain the pity or support of any other tribe about from the Igbos he claimed to be fighting for.

Secondly, just like your tribe, other tribes also have great people that have contributed to humanity And Nigeria

Obj, Fela, Awolowo, Wole Soyinka, Mko, Akinwumi Adesina amongst numerous others. Majority of whom your tribesmen have spent time trying to demarket.

Stop the lame attempt at the pity party already.

robosky02:



Did you know that Jaja Wachuku, is the first Nigerian Minister for Foreign Affairs.?

Did you know Jana Wachuku was the first Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representative




The heroic of Nelson Mandela would not have been known if Wachuku did not raise to his defense

I think this thread is a twist of historical event but I will allow you enjoy your thread.

Iamgrey5:
Please don't be silly

First of all, Namdi Kanu made it a point insulting other tribes, their leaders and everything about them, So he did very little to gain the pity or support of any other tribe about from the Igbos he claimed to be fighting for.

Secondly, just like your tribe, other tribes also have great people that have contributed to humanity And Nigeria

Obj, Fela, Awolowo, Wole Soyinka, Mko, Akinwumi Adesina amongst numerous others. Majority of whom your tribesman have spent time trying to demarket.

Stop the lame attempt at the pity party already.

With what is happening around you
You need to save your pity for your generations
I have made my point

Biafrawemove:

With what is happening around you
You need to save your pity for your generations
I have made my point

The same thing is happening in Oyigbo, imo and Abia but your people prefer to under report yout issue and focus on Yoruba issues as usual.

Iamgrey5:
The same thing is happening in Oyigbo, imo and Abia but your people prefer to under report yout issue and focus on Yoruba issues as usual.

More reason you need to save your pity
Underreport when
You have always rejoice since the time of ojukwu
So please
Pity ya self

Iamgrey5:
I think this thread is a twist of historical event but I will allow you enjoy your thread.

What is twisted....... Here

Jaja...