Nelson Mandela
Therefore, as we move to establish this new nation, a Federation of African states, we must seek to identify leadership which exemplifies these qualities. One such leader was the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who appealed not just to the Negro but to the ideals of righteousness and to a higher morality not based on self-interest or personal gain. That is why he was able to seek and gain the assistance of all people in the fight to liberate African Americans.
A more recent and relevant example is Nelson Mandela of South Africa. Mandela overcame the sting of white hatred with the courage of a righteous conviction of the equality of black South Africans and all humanity. Read his inaugural speech here:
Today, all of us do, by our presence here…. Confer glory and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of an extraordinarily human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud.
… We, who were outlaws, not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil. We thank all of our distinguished international guests for having come to take possession with the people of our country of what is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity.
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discriminations.
Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.… The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement.
Let freedom ring. God Bless Africa!
One might assert that this drive and move to establish the United Federation of African states is but a dream. There were those who thought the same things about the fight to establish a free Ghana. There were those who believe that apartheid would never fall. There were those who believe the black man in America would never be free, especially not become the president of the United States of America. But they were wrong. They did not hear the rumbling. They did not see the slight movement, the ever so slight movement of the plates of the world shifting in the direction of freedom, righteousness and liberation. They could not feel the many rumblings that were occurring around the world — some right beneath their feet. But I heard them and I even felt them and I believe that it will happen someday, maybe sooner than later.
But I heard them and I even felt them and I believe that it will happen someday, maybe sooner than later.
Recently I read an article that was entitled “Africa, Is It a Country?” This article was about how most people don’t understand that Africa is a continent not a country. It urged the reader to think about how to answer a person who might ask such a question. I would answer by saying, Not yet, but I can feel the rumblings.
