Be Like Nelson Mandela, Don’t Celebrate Him, Soyinka Tells Nigerians

Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has advised Nigerians not to celebrate former South African President Nelson Mandela, but to be like him.

He gave the advice yesterday in Asaba, the Delta State capital during the 2023 United Nations Nelson Mandela International Day Celebration.

He called on Nigerians to do the best they can to create a better Nigeria.

According to him, Mandela did his best when he was in prison, out of prison and as president, saying that planting trees could be a way to live like him as that would immortalise him and make people remember his good deeds.

Soyinka, who was the special guest of honour , said, “We have many Mandela among us. His travails among them are not over. We should do everything to free them and celebrate them wherever they are to save the coming generation.”

The founder of Mandela Gardens, Dr Newton Jibunoh, said he was happy celebrating the late South African leader with mixed feelings because he lived most of his life for the emancipation of his people, but that at the other hand the world is not yet a better place.

“ When Mandela contested for president, he did not have money to buy the form. In Nigeria today you need N100 million to buy form for presidential contest,” Jibunoh lamented.

While advising Nigerians to think about the sacrifices Mandela made to make the world a habitable place, he said we have serious responsibility to make sure the world is made a better place to live.

CFAO manager, Aissatou Diouf and the permanent secretary, Delta State Ministry of Environment, Dr Minnie Osaji, said Mandela, as an international peace maker, was a role model worldwide.