The Graceful smile

On or  at about 1:00pm on a hot Sunday afternoon of February 11,1990,  I had just been picked up by my dad from a beauty parlour at Exhibition, Dansoman a surburb of Accra. This was where I used to have my lovely corn- roll braids made. The distance between the hair parlour and home was not of a distance so we decided to leg it. On  our walk home  I recall how people were jubilating,others cheered, shouted and chanted the word "freedom" by throwing punches in the air, people riding in their cars were not left out, they tooted their car horns to also join in the jubilation. I was so confused and what made it worst was dad also threw punches in the air, gave a nod, smiled and made eye contacts whenever we walked passed a happy crowd. I was totally puzzled  to the reason why people were excited and the whole local had gone gay. There was a tremendous surge of feeling!  Usually in moments like this I would see people either in Red or Yellow  and that would give  me an indication Asante Kotoko had won a match or it was a good day for Phobia. In this case it didn't seem so.

Finally the long awaited questioning from Akua Kessie started I bet my dad was really ready for this knowing the kind of daughter he had. In a very short statement he said Nelson Mandela is a free man. I then asked who is this man? He replied he is one of the strong men in the world. I believe he didn't want to go in-depth because I would not understand the whole story behind this remarkable person. I remember how dad shook his head after he answered me. The look and the state he was in was  of a reflective one. It was such that it stopped me from probing further.  Consequently, this developed my interest in learning things about this great man.

Nelson Mandela, has always been one that I have  fully admired and adored. My first ever presentation was on him and Maya Angelou at a  Black History lessons and workshop at Leeds, this still remains as  one of my outstanding works so far. It was a breathtaking moment when I met Mr. Randy Pieterse of the African National Congress during the year 2008, we had a personal chat about Nelson Mandela and it was from this  chat I gathered the full meaning of his middle name "Rolihlahla". For me that was the closest contact  I had  with Nelson Mandela save for the melodious songs which had him eulogized . I could sing as a growing child. Apart from the mighty hit "Free Nelson Mandela" my personal favorite will always be Johnny Clegg's elegaic song "Asimbonanga". That piece is simply astounding.  Mandela's great sense of recognition for morality has always been outstanding. He epitomizes the hallmark of morality in my life, not just me but many. He affirms my believe that a walk in pursuance of whatever one believes in is worth taking. As a growing child I have known him by feeling his presence in the world. Today he is of the ages but he will still be felt in the hearts and minds of many others . His graceful smile will forever stay with me.  He has fought a good fight and his legacy shall live on, not just in the history books but in the hearts and minds of humanity.

Live on Nelson Mandela..!!!! Africa's Pride.