@doyin13

you are a lover of art. Art did not stop Italians from using chemical weapons on Ethiopians. Selassie was a poet to a large extent. You should see his speech on February 28 1968 in California. Bob Marley made an entire song out of it.



Just for clarification, Mengistu is not a "common" Soldier.

then Ndipe, you should propose Murtala, apparently another man of character.

@denex

isnt it ironic that a man who encouraged quasi democratic independent movements around Africa held on to power as a monarchist.

Typical African I tell you. Power hungry folks.

And if African Artists should make up my list, it is because, unfortunately that is the only area we seem to distinguish ourselves.

We seem better at feeling rather than thinking

October 22nd 2005 marked the unveiling ceremony of the restored statue of Emperor Haile Selassie at Cannizaro Park, Wimbledon.

one question? who asked this incredibly dumb question?

It's not me O!

Still trying to figure out what the poster is trying to achieve by starting this post

Sacrifice,he gave,you have to give to get.Christ is known today because he gave,it is story of sacrifice and selflessness.A phenomenon.

Still trying to figure out what the poster is trying to achieve by starting this post

1. what is criteria to determine 'africa hero'?

2. who determine such criteria?

The point is that we africa take history for granted and allow other to tell us our history.


what makes Mandela be refered to as 'african hero' and Azikwe is not?

Haile Selassie did not name himself the Emperor, the position has existed for a long time like in UK, most of Europe and Japan. The late Emperor is truly an African hero.

Mandela is a hero because he did not become a Mugabe, forcefully returning the lands seized by the whites to the blacks. He's very wise.

@Champredd

You are castigating Mugabe for the exact reasons that he should be hailed a hero.

Those lands do not belong to the whites. Imagine the anomalous situation where in a land 90% populated by black ppl should have the land 90% owned by white immigrants.

They were also acquired forcefully as well.

While I dont care for Mugabe at all, and probably the manner of seizure left a lot to be desired,

ultimately, it is the thought that counts

I'm not castigating Mugabe, am only stating the reasons, Mugabe is an hero, but the international press is controlled by the west, what do you expect?

I'm not castigating Mugabe, am only stating the reasons, Mugabe is an hero, but the international press is controlled by the west, what do you expect?

--

You are castigating Mugabe for the exact reasons that he should be hailed a hero.

Now this interesting,

international press is the one determining who is/should be 'african hero'?

The danger is that outside will define us based on their critieria and this will 'silently kill africa the more,

If Mugabe had not stayed on till the time that he started to think of taking the lands back, he won't be castigated, Omar Bongo had been in power probably longer than Mugabe, but he's not castigated because he's doing the bidding of the west.

Hi guys I'am a South African and I've just joined your forum. I know you guys don't like South Africans that much, but I have lot of Nigerian friends, who resides in South Africa and I enjoy being amongst them because of their humour. Hope to enjoy engaging with you guys.

Now this is what those white masters keep feeding you guys. That we do not like South Africans and they feed us that South Africans don't like Nigerians and now you "know" that we do not like South Africans. Well good luck to you.

thabo:

Hi guys I'am a South African and I've just joined your forum. I know you guys don't like South Africans that much, but I have lot of Nigerian friends, who resides in South Africa and I enjoy being amongst them because of their humour. Hope to enjoy engaging with you guys.

Notice the contradictions in this statement "I know you guys don't like South Africans that much, but I have lot of Nigerian friends". God Save You.

This is what I'm talking about. You guys tend to be rude sometimes. You always go on about whites being our masters. That's not the case dudes. We are our own people. Is just that Africans misunderstand us. We don't know much about Africa as continent. What we are doing now is come into contact with other Africans but you guys you not meeting us halfway. I know that South Africans tend to be arrogant but not all of them are like that.

do u want to contribute to this thread or do u want to start another?

Mandela is a hero. It takes a hero to sacrifice like he did.

Mandela is a hero. It takes a hero to sacrifice like he did

this is not in doubt. what is in doubt is when he is called 'african hero'

I dont hate him; just that we should be clear what is 'values' makes someone an africa hero

why is called 'African Hero'? and Jerry Rawlings is not? or Azikwe is not? or Patrice Lumba is not?

We've been struggling for decades to free South Africans from the deadly grip of the Boers and other European terrorists only for these same South Africans to be eating story of these same Boers that Nigerians don't love them very much.

This world is really a funny place. Mr Thabo, well, I have to tell you that they have been here too telling us that the average South African doesn't like Nigerians. As long as white people exist, the principle of divide and conquer will never end.

I can't debate about Mandela. Something are unquationable. You cannot dipute the fact that KAKA is the best player in the world at the moment. So in a case of Mandela it is pointless to discuss this. The man is a living saint, in a league of his own. It is also an insult to compare this statesman to a left wing terrorist like (Haille Sellsomething). There is only one man that you can compare to this, that's Jesus.

Mandela is an authentic African hero:

1. Courageous: Fought for what he believed in (the equality of all races) and was prepared to die for it.

2. Principled: Refused to denounce his beliefs even if this meant spending his life incarcerated.

3. Humility: Always insisted that there were heroes before him in the struggle - the Walter Sisulu's, Desmond Tutu's etc.

4. Integrity: Promised to serve for one term, delivered on his promises.

5. Honesty: No ill-gotten wealth.

6. Forgiving - Forgave all in equal measure and did not seek revenge.

For these, and many others, the civilized world has recognized him as an authentic world and African hero, in the same class as the Mahatma's, Luther King's etc.

I wonder why you're not mentioning Botha. Anyway, we believe you and agree to everything you say.

God bless Africa!

I really doubt that you would find any set of qualifications put down anywhere regarding who qualifies to be a hero or not. However, we can get a broad guiding principle from the dictionary. Two basic definitions exist 1. remarkably brave person: somebody who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who has shown an admirable quality such as great courage or strength of character. 2. somebody who is admired for outstanding qualities or achievements. Mandela is primarily known for his role in the struggle against the apartheid policy of the Nationalist Party in South Africa. He was an advocate of peaceful protest until the sharpville massacre in which 69 blacks were killed for protesting. At this juncture, he joined the call for violent protest and became the commander in chief of the youth militant wing of the ANC (called spear of the nation) after training in Algeria. He was arrested severally and finally sentenced to life imprisonment in june 1964. He sacrificed his freedom and personal peace for the cause of the struggle against apartheid and became an international symbol of the resistance. He was eventually released in 1990. After his release, the battle for power in south africa intensified: the whites considered sharing power a major concession while the blacks wanted nothing but a total transfer of power. mandela was centrally instrumental to the negotiations that led to the resolution of this impasse. He then took the ultimate step by stepping down after only one term in power, an act that proves contrary to the nature of other African Leaders. Now tell me, syllogically, does Nelson Mandela deserve to be called a hero. The answer is obvious, he experienced the most painful and lonely long walk to freedom.

Mandela is ultimately an hero, its not debatable, because he played a great role in bringing peace and justice to South Africa and still remain a force to reckon with.

He is a great hero. Yes. He did a lot for the Freedom of South Africa. He gave up his freedom for the liberation of South Africa. Good. Have you asked yourself what he has done for the liberation of people outside South Africa.

A true hero is not somebody that achieves a lot for his interest.

I'm talking of a man who was vigorously fighting for the liberation of Africa from Colonialism. He was not colonised but was fighting for the decolonization of others. He was not under apatheid but was fighting for the liberation of South Africans. He was not even a German but was fighting against the the chains that the World War II allies wanted to place on Germany after the war.

Look at all the problems Haiti has been through over the past 10 years. What did Obasanjo do? What did Mandela do? Or even say.

If it was during the time of Emperor Selassie, do you think he would have just been watching them suffering and dying with nowhere to turn to?

Do you think Jamaica, T&T and Haiti look up to the US to rescue them when they have problems? They've always looked to Africa, and now Africa looks away.

The fact that most of us were not alive during the time of Emperor Selassie does not mean we should disregard everything he did and now nominate someone we grew up knowing as the greatest African hero.

Emperor Haile Selassie is the only leader in the world that tried to put Africa at par with the other continents of the world.

We are all heroes,all we need to do is show it,reach out to others the best way you can.We are like stars that burns of after a period of time,so all we need to do is shine while we still have the light.The concept of good and the concept of bad are two diffrent things no matter how you see it,relative or not.

@denex
Well said. We must acknowledge our heroes' past.

People who suffered because their democractically elected leaders were overthrown through western sponsored coups across Africa, simply because their leaders are Pan-Africanist and fighting for those still under colonial or apartheid rule.

Mandela is ultimately an hero, its not debatable, because he played a great role in bringing peace and justice to South Africa and still remain a force to reckon with.

Good so he is South Africa Hero and not African Hero?

Otherwise; what did he do for Rwanda people? What did he do for the Dafur?  what did he do for