Perhaps, the most remarkable contributions Nelson Mandela made to the realm of politics and statesmanship were through his tolerance, magnanimity and the priority he had attached to the cause of the people than his own life and ambitions. He is certainly the liberator of the South Africa, freeing the country from minority rule. But the international iconic figure carved a niche for himself in the history for all time to come by becoming the global emblem of dignity and respect.
With his death at the age of 95, curtain has only fallen on the most chequered and glorious life in the contemporary time. But the ideology and principle that he stood for, and the vision that he demonstrated for the welfare and betterment of the people would never die. This is where Nelson Mandela is much taller than many of the world leaders of his time or even before. What he epitomized in terms of greater interest could hardly be matched by others. Probably, in a way, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King showed such a zeal and foresight when they also voluntarily chose to stay away from big temptation when it was on their platter. Mandela and Gandhi also have a common thread apart from noble virtues; Gandhi made South Africa, which is Mandela's country, his own land.
Mandela's 27 years in jail, his unremitting struggle for just cause of the minority "Blacks" and the grand finale of the long movement made him towering personality that the South Africa's majority "Blacks" were longing for in the minority "White" dominated country. But during the five years that he was first "Black" president of the nation from 1994-1994, his primary work was how to repair the damage between the two communities. Mandela, still a sainted figure during this period, lost some lustre as the head of the government and also because many hard line "Blacks" did not approve of his lenient approach to the "Whites". Nevertheless, nothing deterred him from achieving the goal of unity and cohesion in a country ruptured by long divides on the line of colour of its populace. He even overcame a personal mistrust and bitterness bordering on loathing to share both power and a Nobel peace prize with F.W.de Klerk, the White president, who preceded him. Mandela strove to forget the enmity despite being tortured and long repression in both prison and outside for the sake of the country and people. He said "I have fought against White domination, and I have fought against Black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together with harmony and equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I want to live for and to see realized. But my Lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die". Indeed, such a statement can only be expected from Nelson Mandela, who is just not a statesman and leader, but showed the way how the statesmanship and leadership could be worthwhile.
Instances of extreme odds and crises are galore in Mandela's long political life. Evidently, it was not at all a bed of roses even after he was catapulted to helm after long journey of adversity as the path was strewn with all kinds of obstacles. But, what remained of paramount importance to him was the larger good of the people and the nation. He unhesitatingly quit party and government positions, and chose a quiet life while all the time praying and seeking welfare of the country.
Mandela made reconciliation and dignity as the two important pillars of his political philosophy. Obviously, he sought to follow the earlier heroes of peaceful movement and resistance - Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. But not they even lionized around the globe by so many leaders and people as much as Mandela is from a variety of ideological forums. United States president Barack Obama, himself the first "Black" president in his country, paid glowing tributes to Mandela, saying he drew inspiration from him in many ways.
Nelson Mandela's leadership qualities are simply unmatched and extraordinarily splendid in the present day world. Many of the problems and disputes at the national and international levels could have been easily resolved or for that matter can be settled given some degree of his vision and approach, which are sadly lacking in most cases. He has shown what politics and leadership are all about. Those together are inextricably associated with larger good of the people - even for the opponents. The best tributes to the iconic person would be to at least seek to follow his great principles even if at a minimum scale.
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