Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, has called on Africans to emulate South Africa’s revolutionary leader, Nelson Mandela, in positively impacting lives.
Kalu said this on Thursday in Abuja at the 10th anniversary ceremony to commemorate the Nelson Mandela International Day.
The event was organised by the South African High Commission in collaboration with University of Abuja and the Nelson Mandela Foundation Initiative, an NGO.
The lawmaker said Mandela was not just a revolutionary leader but one whose benevolence spread across citizens of many other nations globally.
According to him, Nigeria would fare better if politicians, irrespective of their political party affiliations, respect party supremacy.
“That way we will be able to build a political culture that derives its powers from the party manifesto and programmes.
“Today, South Africans are enjoying political culture that developed out of Mandela’s love for his party ‘the ANC’ and his respect for its decisions,” Kalu said.
“That is what it means to give your people a voice and a future; shouldn’t we be asking for more Mandela’s in Africa?’’
He assured that the ninth Senate would carry out its legislative duties under the guides of Mandela’s value bequeathed on humility, which he lived and died for.
Acting South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe, said that Mandela did not only symbolise an icon of South Africans, but Africans.
He identified poverty alleviation, sanitation, food security, shelter, and education as priority areas of Mandela’s life that promoted good behaviour.
