Umunna Adaeze Naomi, News24 User
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, popularly known as Madiba will be celebrated worldwide on his 90th birthday on his efforts on humanitarian grounds. His name Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is a blend of strength, passion, and destiny.
Nelson was given to him on his first day in primary school; Rolihlahla meaning "pulling the branch of the tree" or "troublemaker" is his father?s name. He was nicknamed Madiba.
He was born a fighter and destined to fight for his clansmen in enormous ways that was bound to propel him into the history books as on of the greatest of all fighters of all times and this caught attention of the world to the plights of people in his country.
He personified struggle, he was known for his lifelong struggle against apartheid and is still fighting, with extraordinary vigour and resilience after spending nearly three decades of his life behind bars.
Mandela was the victim of various forms of repression. He was banned, arrested and imprisoned. For much of the latter half of the decade, he was one of the accused in the Treason Trial, at great cost to his legal practice and his political career.
Mandela states that "we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free, the right not to be oppressed." He helps to better define the relationship of freedom and oppression.
Nelson Mandela is celebrated as a man of honour. For a man with an active career, he had a disciplined and consistent effort towards work. He lived a punctual life in all his endeavours. He sacrificed his youth, personal and social life for his people and remains their number one hero.
Mandela is the keynote speaker. He is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time. He stands out as no other living figure does for the triumph of dignity and hope over despair and hatred, of self-discipline and love over persecution and evil. He was instrumental in moving South Africa toward multiracial government and majority rule.
For his bravery he bagged awards everywhere. His dogged fight earned him an honorary membership of the British Labour Party and Canadian citizenship, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, the CC (Companion of the Order of Canada) for his services towards democracy in South Africa and AC (Companion of the Order of Australia), 46 international awards, honorary degrees from more than 50 international universities and is chancellor of the University of the North, South Africa.
He was inaugurated as the first democratically elected State president of South Africa on 10 May 1994 - June 1999. His life has been an inspiration in South Africa and throughout the world, to all who are oppressed and deprived, to all who are opposed to oppression and deprivation.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela stands out for having fought a good fight in his lifetime. He now lives a fulfilled man.
Happy Birthday Madiba.
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