At the end of 1994, I took a film crew to nine countries on the African continent to make a documentary called Africa Salutes Mandela. Here, as a small farewell tribute, are a few of the many emotional comments made by African artists and intellectuals:
Tsegaye Gabre Mehdin (writer, Ethiopia): [Nelson] Mandela is Africa’s resurrection. He is the carnal law, the secret of the 10 openings, the flesh of the sky, and the flesh of the sun which is hidden in the name of Af-ra-ka, the root word for Africa.
Mandela is also an image of man. He is in a sense the new African spearhead dressed in poetic armour. Mandela is a person who represents, as the Bible says, the idea that there is no more love than to give yourself for others. Mandela, during the best times, his most useful young life, gave his life for others, for South Africa, for Africa and the world.
But Mandela is also a symbol of caution. Like a great elephant, he moves with care and caution. He has lived with colonial and neo- colonial treachery, with neo-capitalist schemes. Therefore he is the one who has paid the price, learning how to tread with extreme caution, as does the great elephant. He speaks with rhythm, a very deep African expression. He even dances the sacred dance. He is the symbol of elegance. As in the Organisation for African Unity anthem: “He is the flesh of the sky, the flesh of the sun/He is the sacred tree that keeps Africa moving in cautious, sacred, rhythmic movement.”
Captain Asreiss Araya (senior pilot, Ethiopian Airlines): Like almost everyone on this planet, we are very excited about his presence. He represents the noblest side of human nature. That’s why everyone can relate to him, no matter what their colour or background. He represents patience, forbearance, tolerance, forgiveness, and wisdom. Look at the credibility he has around the world. The moment he opens his mouth, from the smallest kid to the oldest man, they pay attention, they stand still. Mandela is speaking. This guy has credibility, he has won the confidence of the whole human race. Events in South Africa in the past few years have given the whole human race hope. Perhaps we can live together.
I have never seen despair in this man’s voice. Anger, occasionally impatience. But never despair.
The first time I heard this name “Mandela” was the time he went to prison, and there was a lot of uproar about his imprisonment. Since that time, people of my age have been aware of his presence, indeed the world has been aware of his presence, even though he was in prison.
If you see Mandela, tell him that there is one pilot in Ethiopia who would gladly lay down his life for him, because he does not represent just South Africa; he represents the human spirit, and that human spirit that can transcend anything.
So I wish him and South Africa success- white, black and brown, they represent the human family-they are a globe in miniature, aren’t they? So if you guys succeed, the world will succeed. We will be able to inhabit the planet together. And thanks to people like Mandela, because they have the wisdom and the patience to lead us. Ismail Kunda (member of Toure Kunda, Senegal): The French government wanted to mark the great event of Mandela’s first state visit to France by having a huge affair at the Place Trocadero, and extended the invitation to Toure Kunda, among other artists who had sung for Mandela. We accepted with the greatest pleasure, because it was a great event: that a black man had taken up his rightful place in a country that had a black majority. And it was right to mark this event with a song, because a song has a longer lifespan than the devil, and as you know, the devil lives forever!
And so when you want to mark something important, give thanks, the best way to do it is through a song. And Mandela merits this, whether you’ve sung about him or not. Mandela has entered history, and in fact history has entered Nelson Mandela, because it found him in prison, and followed him on the historic road that saw him become head of state.
Aminata Sow Fall (Senegalese academic – wrote this after South Africa’s first democratic election): I want to dream. The dream which awakes in South Africa, I want to dream with it.
For three days I sleep, I dream it, and when I wake I am still dreaming it. It’s a wonderful dream, and when I wake, I cling to it with the passion of all dreams. Because of the fragility of dreams, I want to keep it innocent of all my questions.
And tomorrow? When the dream will be thrown up against the impossibility of all dreams? It’s only 30 years since the hopes of our other Africa were also built on castles of dreams about our wealth, our independence, our dignity. What remains today? The twilight of our heritage; tyranny; the twilight of tyranny; massive debt … and gratitude that Africa still maintains its hope. I want to hope that Mandela will be a blessing to us all. I dreamed this, and I will always continue to dream it.