The inspiring wisdom of Mandela

Ashley Dobia Mwanza

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela turned 91 years ‘young’ today and how we wish we could have more inspirational leaders such as this man. A man who knows that any real change starts from within, a true leader. Life and its problems is a continuous struggle and the words of this fine gentleman sum it up, “after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb...There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.” As we fight our passions more obsessions will crop up, as we fight for a world of peace more conflict will emerge, hence we should be prepared to fight.

At the opening of the South African Parliament in Cape Town in 1999 during the last year of his presidency, Mandela called for a “reconstruction and development program of the soul.” He had made clear that “our first task as government is to change and improve the basic living conditions of people” and had worked tirelessly to that end. “We are, however, learning every day that there is an even more basic task of reconstruction before us... The best attempts by a government or authority will be fruitless if the people of a country do not experience a change within themselves,” Mandela concluded.

Change within himself led to the great leader that is Mandela. His incredible power as a ‘transformational’ leader came in part through the demonstration of change within himself. Prepared for the presidency by thirty years in prison and a lifetime resistance against oppression and injustice, he acquired a stalwart, inspiring moral and spiritual courage that enabled him to rise above the hate and recrimination that was so deeply embedded in the apartheid system of his country. He led from his inner strength and offered to all the people a vision of moral reconstruction to guide South Africa’s future, “if there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness,” he went to say. He by no doubt built these two roads in his own heart first.

Mandela knew how imperative was the task of building social, economic and political systems that promote justice, freedom and human dignity. He reveals something of the spirituality of leadership, authentic spirituality puts us in touch with life’s deepest realities and the truth about ourselves. Since Mandela has encountered spiritual truths in the midst of deep and painful human realities, being the leader that he is Mandela has helped whole societies embrace a new future. A true and all inspiring case of leadership from the inside out. In his own words Mandela shows that he had to fight his own fears for others to fight theirs too, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” In his fearlessness South Africans in turn became fearless and together they conquered.

“There is no such thing as part freedom....Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.” Nelson Mandela.