NANA ADDO; MADIBA-THE NOBLEST AFRICAN OF THEM ALL

Just as thousands of people across the world from all walks of life continue to mourn and celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela who is described among many accolades as the "World Leader", his fellow African leaders join in as well.
One of such is Nana Akuffo Addo. In a press statement issued in Accra by the second-time Presidential candidate for the opposition NPP, Nana Addo described Mr. Mandela as a matured leader who redeemed South Africa with his wisdom, tactics,experience and patriotism at the age of 76.

FULL STATEMENT BELOW.

MADIBA – THE NOBLEST AFRICAN OF THEM ALL
A Tribute by Nana Akufo-Addo To Nelson Mandela (18/07/1918 – 5/12/2013)
I join the rest of humanity in commemorating the life of the greatest African that the world has ever known, a man who managed the unique global feat of being loved, admired, respected and idolised by the greatest number of the world’s population in the course of his lifetime – Nelson Mandela.

A lifetime of struggle for equality, freedom, justice and progress, he was the greatest hero of the African liberation movement, a universal symbol of courage, conviction, and commitment. Not for him the language of freedom, but the actions of tyranny. His unshakeable belief in democracy and dogged determination to build a genuine multiracial democracy in South Africa gave him, after nearly three decades of harsh and cruel imprisonment, the moral authority to embrace a policy of national reconciliation which enabled South Africa to turn its back on civil war after the senseless horrors and cruelties of apartheid.

He was, indeed, the outstanding statesman of Africa’s history, who laid a foundation of respect for human rights and individual liberties, the rule of law, and love of nation in the governance of South Africa. That will be his lasting contribution to the future of his country and, indeed, of the entire African continent.

At the age of 76, he agreed to become the first black leader of democratic South Africa because the moment required his experience, his maturity, his wisdom, his tact, his patriotism, his popularity, his compassion, his conviction and his vision. He could have gone on to stand for re-election and win an overwhelming endorsement of the South African people in 1999. Yet, like Washington at the beginning of the American Republic, he chose to handover to another lieutenant of the freedom struggle, Thabo Mbeki. In a continent of life presidents, this was an act worthy of emulation.

He showed other leaders what can be achieved even in one term of office if a leader chooses to focus on the bigger picture - the greater good - in doing the right thing that will stand the test of time and not just to survive an electoral cycle.

He used his term in office to build an enduring one-nation platform of stability to guarantee the progress of his nation. The challenge now is how leaders after him can build on the platform that