Remembering Nelson Mandela in Tanzania

The 5th of December is a day to cherish; it’s the day Nelson Rolihlahla Madiba Mandela the icon of humanity for the whole world finally succumbed to a long illness in his old age.

Three years ago, on the 5th December 2013, he gracefully passed away. His legacy is ingrained in history books as one of the greatest leaders of Africa and the world.

Mandela a forgiving Father of the Rainbow Nation - multiracial South Africa, was laid to rest in his home village, the small, Eastern Cape village of Qunu where he spent much of his childhood herding animals as a five-year-old boy.

He was born on 18 July 1918 in the village of Mvezo in Umtatu, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa’s Cape Province and was given the forename of Rolihlahla. Later, he became known by his clan name Madiba. The name Mandela was a King’s genealogy name of his family. Mandela was given the European name Nelson on the first day at school by his teacher.

Mandela was recognised as a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He is considered by many as the Father the South African nation, the founding Father of South African democracy. Due to his unbending belief in racial reconciliation to overcome apartheid, he will always be revered by the whole world as a moral authority of truth.

Three years down memory lane, I wish to celebrate the life of this extraordinary forgiving Father of a nation, and a great son of Africa together with South Africans, in a poem titled ‘A Forgiving Father of a Rainbow Nation’. It’s a tribute to this fallen hero:

Forgiving Father of A Rainbow Nation

CRY Mother Africa you lost a luminary star, a hero, your beloved son, NELSON the son, who you lost was brighter than a galactic sun, The son was a forgiving Father and healer of the racial separation, Mandela of Madiba is no more, Africa will always cry with lots of pain.

CRY Mother Africa you lost a precious son, that was the remaining, lone icon, NELSON is no more and the United States of Africa seems to be out of gain, The candle light was blown by the wind of the dark sheol; the abode place of sin, Mandela of Madiba is no more, Africa will always cry with lots of pain.

CRY Mother Africa you lost a Father, a forgiving Father of a Rainbow Nation, NELSON who made black and white young ones lie together in brotherly unison, Yes, because of Nelson, the hole of a white viper, in now a black children PlayStation, Mandela of Madiba is no more, Africa will always cry with lots of pain.

CRY Mother Africa the lions’ day was over and shall not descend back again, NELSON the son who made the apartheid wolf live with the black lambkin, No more Madiba who made the black calf play with a white bigoted cab of a lion, Mandela of Madiba is no more, Africa will always cry with lots of pain.

CRY Mother Africa your son has closed his reign on earth and crossed to heaven, NELSON the son who made the oppressors and oppressed, embrace in love affection, Mother Africa cherish the son by walking the path of reconciliation and transformation, Mandela of Madiba is no more, Africa will always cry with lots of pain.

CRY Mother Africa you will never again see Rolihlahla, your son forever again, NELSON swayed belligerent sons to turn their machetes into plowshares of unification, Like King David, Mandela created, nursed and nurtured a forgiving Rainbow Nation, Mandela of Madiba is no more, Africa will always cry with lots of pain.

Dr Dalaly Peter Kafumu is a Tanzanian Member of Parliament. Email: [email protected]