Interviewed By Azore Opio (The Post Newspaper)
On Friday, July 18, the people of Buea and beyond shall be thrilled to a cultural evening in honour of Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. Mwalimu George Ngwane, the Coordinator of this occasion, has described Mandela as the epitome of the dreams, struggles and aspirations of humanity. The Post caught up with him and sought to find out about the event.
Why is the celebration of Nelson Mandela's birthday of any importance?
A birthday is a personal event. But when such a birthday concerns a man like Nelson Mandela who has become the very epitome of the dreams, the struggles and the aspirations of humanity, the birthday transcends the personal to the global. If South Africa did not give birth to Mandela, the world would have invented him.
How many mortals possess the strength of character, the sense of commitment and the capacity for amnesty like Mandela? So, the cultural evening we are organising on July18 in Buea is an appreciation of the fact that Africa can also produce statesmen who are larger than life contrary to conventional yet legitimate thought that our continent is nothing but a breeding ground for predatory despots and insensitive leadership.
In commemorating Mandela's birthday, we are also saluting the efforts of other less mediatised icons of South African freedom like Steve Biko, Robert Sobukwe, Chris Hani, Hector Peterson, Winnie Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, Denis Brutus, and the thousands of unsung heroes and heroines whose blood continue to water the tree of liberty in the land of Madiba.
But South Africa is a far from being free?
Agreed; remember it took more than fifty years to topple institutionalised apartheid in South Africa and it may take another fifty years to topple mentality apartheid. Yes, the fruits of the black economic empowerment policy of the African National Congress, ANC, still remain undelivered.
The recent spiral of xenophobia targeting the same people who supported South Africans during the apartheid years marks an indelible dent in South Africa's ubuntu philosophy. The struggle for the soul of leadership between Zuma and Mbeki is beginning to shake the very foundation of the dominant party ideology. Yet, it cannot be denied that the gains of political leadership from the time of Mandela the President in 1994 shall never be reversed.
Like most African countries, still grappling with reconciling democratic consolidation and developmental dividends, South Africa is no exception. I do understand the impatience for a true rainbow nation where the majority found at the bottom of the economic pyramid should reap the dividends of Mandela's 27 years in prison.
South Africa under Thabo Mbeki has been accused of taking a soft position on the Zimbabwe crisis at a time when the international community is calling for sanctions. What is your take?
As a student of conflict resolution I believe in looking at the root causes of a problem rather than the remote consequences. Zimbabwe's basket case stems firstly from a travesty of historical economic and social injustice originating from the reneged promises of the Lancaster agreement of 1979.
Mugabe's present afro-radicalism and nativist revolution are a response to this colonial betrayal. Unfortunately, this afro-radicalism is beginning to devour its own. And, frankly, if Mbeki's soft mediation is not producing the desired goals, the hard megaphone mediation of the international community has made the situation even worse. The way forward is to control the damage.
This means Mugabe and Tsvangiria need to borrow a leaf from the hostile then healed relationship of Gbagbo and Soro of Cote d'Ivoire. This means both of them must free themselves from their hostage hood. I am happy that Thabo Mbeki initiated talks in Pretoria last week between the opposition and the incumbent because only an internal political synergy that goes beyond political leaning and democratic perceptions can jumpstart a genuine reconciliation and reconstruction agenda in Zimbabwe.This process needs to be fully supported by the International community.
Coming back to the Mandela celebrations; what is the menu?
Let me first of all remind you that I spearheaded a similar celebration in Buea in 1994 when Mandela became the President of South Africa. S, those who were present cannot afford to miss the 2008 version.
The only difference is that the organising committee has been enlarged and more ideas have been born. There shall be a photo exhibition showing the life of Mandela and the struggles of the South African people in the morning at Bongo's square, and then in the evening at the Cameroon O.I.C Hall there shall be paper presentations, poetry recitals, choral animation, comedy, songs and music etc.
You see most of the fun and fanfare shall come from the audience and every one is free to attend. It is a free public show. We have already had confirmation that the South African High Commissioner shall be represented, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church shall be present and the Lord Mayor of Buea as well as the Nigerian Consul General shall be in attendance among other dignitaries; so there shall be a delicate mix of the head, the heart and the soul.
What do you hope to achieve in the end?
We hope to achieve solidarity among the African people and vision among our African leaders. Our message is that there is nothing wrong with Africa that cannot be made right by Africans.
We are convinced that the continent possesses a fine crop of emerging leaders that need to be trained in the values and ideals that Mandela stood for and that is why from next year the Mandela birthday celebration shall begin with a training workshop for Youth leadership.
We hope partners shall help us realise this goal the way the South African High Commission has so generously and promptly reacted to this particular occasion.
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