The Canonization Of “Saint Mandela”

The feared thing has happened. Mandela is no more. The crushed world is understandably mourning him. He is the only African man that has truly united the whole world in grief. He is respected by both opponents and proponents, idolized by all leaders and esteemed by their followers. Tata Madiba, is truly the true son of Africa. The media the world over is united in a chorus of his praise.

Without controversy, he was a towering figure of international repute that can not easily find a match, not only in Africa, but the entire world. He really deserves our respect and will be missed by all. F.W. de Klerk summed it up when he said, “Tata, we will miss you”.

Mandela went an extra mile in trying to secure liberty for his people, incarcerated for twenty seven years; he refused any release without achieving his desired goal. For that, he deserves applause. Some more points were scored when he stepped down just after holding the reins of power for only one five year term. That is unheard of in as far as our African leaders are concerned. That twenty seven year incarceration was proper justification for a life presidency. If few days in a Gweru prison was a lifetime a song and a passport to life presidency else where, you can imagine what twenty seven years would translate into. He stepped down when he was still wanted. His memory will not be erased from peoples mind and his name has been forever engraved in the stony book of history.

But, does the above make someone a saint? I am amazed at how people, the world over, have turned Mandela into “Saint Mandela” as if he was immortal. On Sunday the 8th of December, a memorial service was held in his honour at a Catholic church in Soweto. I am reliably informed that other churches did not hold church services and those who did were told to preach about nothing but Mandela. The media was awash with people telling the world what Mandela means to them, what Mandela has done for them, what Mandela has taught them and every other thing, Mandela. Brothers, when we reach this stage haven't we crossed into the realm of the divine? As a Christian I could not believe my ears when I heard people saying things like, “Mandela has taught me how to forgive, Mandela has taught me how to love, Mandela means everything to me, without Mandela there was no freedom, etc.” We need to remember that the dividing line between respect and worship is too thin. People cross over into the other side without them knowing it.

We should remember that Mandela was a radical communist who founded the armed wing of the ANC. This group committed many atrocities under him, its policy was, “One Boer, one bullet”. The Apartheid system was evil; leaving a trail of blood behind it, but Unkhonto we Siizwe under Madiba did its part as well. Amnesty International refused to accept his name as a prisoner of conscious because of his association with violence. He has never apologized for these atrocities. He came out of prison a liberal who had no problem with gays and lesbians. He was an “anything goes” type of a leader. During his presidency, he refused to condemn brutal dictators like Sani Abacha of Nigeria, even after his regime had killed Ken Sara Wiwa. He was only a freedom fighter but not a saint we are trying to make of him. One cartoon depicted him entering Heaven, which Heaven? As a good Communist he has been pictured with a clenched fist raised up to heaven. Do you know what that means? It means “God! I can beat you.” I commend him for the good work he did in South Africa, politically and humanitarian but please don't make him “Saint Mandela”. Both sides of our heroes deserve a thorough scrutiny.