Can Africa produce another Mandela?

MTHATHA - As tributes continue to pour in for the departed global icon and great son of Africa, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, I have been asking myself whether the continent will be able to produce another leader of his stature.

He made world headlines when he was still in prison and became the biggest news story when he was released in 1990. Mandela became the biggest story once again when he died on December 5, 2013 at the age of 95 prompting the government to declare 10 days of mourning.

His long walk ended where it all began-in the village of Qunu which falls under the district of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape province. More than 4,500 local and international dignitaries who included President Barack Obama bade farewell to Africa's greatest son with praise for a selfless African leader who never regarded himself as more important than his own people.

Madiba, as Mandela was known by his abaThembu clan name, was a man who practiced what he preached especially when it came to reconciliation and forgiveness. I don't remember any leader let alone a black man from Africa who commanded such respect, honour and admiration throughout the world.

Other names that come into the picture when you mention great leaders include those of Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Kwame Nkurumah, Mahatma Gandi, Mother Teresa.

Mandela was not a saint and never saw himself as one. He always reminded South Africans that he was their servant - not the other way round. He was the product of his people.

Before Mandela, if you mentioned Africa, what came to mind of many in the West was a land of ruthless dictators, blood sucking cannibalists, coups, famine and misery. Some dictators are known to have kept the heads of their political opponents in their office fridges to instil fear into the minds of their followers.

Leaders who gave the continent bad image include former Ugandan army cook, Idi Amin Dada who overthrew Milton Obote and declared himself President for life, Field Marshall, Lord of all the beasts on earth and conqueror of the British Empire.

His short lived rule was followed by a notorious purge of his opponents. Thousands were killed by his troops while Amin himself personally shot those who opposed him. Enter Mobutu Sese Seko, former army officer who too staged a coup and declared himself life president and changed the name from Congo to Zaire.

Mobutu, a top spy for the CIA enjoyed backing by Washington during his reign of terror in Zaire. He ruled his country as if he was running a family company. His ministers praised him saying he was a gift from God despite presiding over the killings of opponents.

The beginning of the 70s saw young and ruthless dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam entering the stage. After his overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie, Mengistu, now a refuge in Zimbabwe, launched the infamous Red Terror campaign in which ministers loyal to Selassie and thousands of his opponents were executed.

After experiencing such ruthless and heartless dictators, Africa was again plugged by warlords of the likes of Joseph Koni of Uganda, Charles Taylor of Liberia and Siera Leone's Foday Sankoh whose Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels mutilated villagers and raped women as part of their war ritual.

When Mandela, son of Gadla came out of prison, he gave Africa new hope. He became the light in what was described by the West as a dark continent. He described himself as a product and servant of his people not the other way round.

Whites and many in the West were surprised to hear such words from an African leader. He was a leader who united South Africa's different races and ethnic groups. No one felt unwanted in South Africa when Mandela was still alive.

Many will never forget how his funeral at the First National Bank stadium in Johannesburg brought together enemies and friends. Enemies met face to face at the funeral and some were seen shaking hands and hugging each other.

That was how Mandela would have wanted to see things happening. In the 90s he shocked the Afrikaners when he invited the wives and widows of apartheid leaders who also came face to face with widows of struggle veterans who were killed by apartheid police.

His officials were also shocked when Madiba invited Percy Yutar, the prosecutor who sent him to jail at his Revonia treason trial in 1964 to have lunch with him.

Mandela also visited the whites only area of Orania to have tea with the widow of Henrick Verwoerd, one of the architects of apartheid. If that is not true reconciliation, I don't know what it is. How many African leaders ever invited wives of colonial leaders who sent them to jail. I don't remember any of them doing such a thing.

Those African leaders who brought independence to their people would have preferred revenge than reconciliation. Our own President Robert Mugabe preached reconciliation and unity after his 1980 election victory and promised a new Zimbabwe where all people of different races and ethnic groups lived together in harmony.

While he continued preaching unity and reconciliation his government was secretly training a tribal army unit, the Fifth Brigade with the help of North Koreans to carry out genocide in the opposition strongholds of Matabeleland and some parts of the Midlands.

What happened is now documented history. Idi Amin of Uganda who claimed he was chosen by God to lead Uganda, presided over the massacres of thousands in his country as did Hutu leaders in Rwanda in the 90s. As Madiba's remains were interred at the family graveside in Qunu, my only consolation as a human being was that Madiba, had done his duty while he was still alive.

It was the end of a long journey from being a prisoner to head of state and to global icon, a selfless man whose legacy should be kept alive by all those who love humanity. I was lucky to witness the historic funeral in Qunu.

I joined thousands of villagers who lined the road to his homestead to see the casket, drapped in the national flag atop a gun carriage on its way to the Mandela graveside.

The locals alulated and sang traditional Xhosa and struggle songs. In the big tent, dignitaries sang in loud voices: "Nelson Mandela, Nelson Mandela there is no one like you."

Hamba kahle qhawe lamaqhawe, hamba kahle wena ka Gadla, kaDlomo kaHala.