Of heroes

On 18 July 2009 the world celebrated the 91st birthday of former President Nelson Mandela Madiba of South Africa. There were parties in the United State of America, Britain and South Africa.

I chose to celebrate by starting to write Mandela's story in 67 days in 27 chapters. He had guided the world to celebrate this 91st birthday by individuals devoting 67 minutes of community work each. He had spent 67 years fighting for the good of his country, 27 of which he was in jail.
 

Africa is a very good continent although known more for bad things than good ones. She has had many bad leaders but she has some good things and some good leaders. It is difficult to pick the best leader in Africa. Most have been bad.
 

I asked myself to pick the best three leaders. I picked Nelson Mandela Madiba and Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere of Tanzania. To get a third one I struggled and finally I succeeded. I got John Agyekum Koffuor of Ghana.

Although I have never met Mandela physically, I have been with him in dreams on two separate occasions.

I first, I saw him raise his hand and show four fingers of his right hand. He was jovial and wore a big smile. That was in 1990. It was a great dream with a very powerful message which revealed to me that Mandela would rule for four years and would not live for long. I prayed for him to have a long life. God heard my tearful prayer. I am glad I today celebrate that Mandela is alive at 91.

My second dream came in 2000. I was at a party in South Africa in which my book, Elijah Isaac Mayukuba Shiyonga, had won a children's writers award. Mandela was at the party. In my speech I praised him for his love for children. Tears of great joy rolled down my cheeks while children enjoyed themselves playing with him. He did not care that he had a clean suit being dirtied as he even carried some of the little ones.

Back to New Writing