Happy Birthday Tata Madiba!

 In your 94 years, you have been the embodiment of inspiration, the definition of extraodinary, an upright man and an icon. The grand father of our beautiful country, we salute you. Our gift to you is 67 minutes of our time to make a difference.

I have asked radio presenter and friend, Fusi Nkoala and fiction author, Elize Parker to tell me what inspired them about this iconic man and this would not be complete if I don't add a Mish-take.

Fusi Nkoala, Radio Presenter on CCFM, brother

Image Source: Madiba released in 1990.

What I have learnt from him is the selfless leadership. Madiba has always believed in the common good and collective efforts. I admire the leader that he was and as a Christian who is leading a movement of young people for Christ, I always take from his leadership style. In his first speech in Cape Town hours after being released from prison in 1990 he said;  

 "I stand here today not as your leader but as your servant".

He understood all the Christian principles of servanthood, which today even in Church we don't apply.

This is my favorite Madiba quote:

People appreciate a leader that leads from behind when victory is celebrated, and leads from front when there is trouble.

The fact that I share a birthday with him makes me love him more!

Elize Parker, author, publicist, mother

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There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.

I will never forget a story about Madiba that Zelda la Grange, his personal assistant, once told: she related how even after he was 80 years old Madiba for a very long time still would get up in the mornings and never leave his room without his bed being made. It was part of the discipline of his day and of the man himself. For a long time in the mornings when I was too lazy to make my own bed I would say to myself : well Madiba is making his bed, how could you not make yours? To me this soon became a habit but also part of sticking to a certain dicipline that bode well for the rest of the day.

A Mish-take

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In January of 2009 I went to Robben Island to visit and learnt about the island, the exiled freedom fighters and offcourse the highlight, Madiba's story. This was the start to a year the would impact my life and change its course forever. Shortly after the memorable visit to the island, I broke my foot and was on crutches and casts for two to three months. At one point I thought that I would never be able to walk as I did before my silly accident. I bought a post card that gave me hope that I would walk again with both feet as I did before. I took this quote quite literally, but applied it figuratively and to this day believe it still. It is still stuck on my bedroom door and read as follows;

In my lifetime I shall step out into the sunshine and walk with firm feet.

Ps. Happy Birthday Fusi! May you be inspired all the more every day by our Creator and living legends with that Madiba Magic that we have come to know over the years.