INNER LIGHT: Nine things I would tell Nelson Mandela

Some days passed, but you know what! I just cannot stop from saying something for him. Oh No! Let me say this. Nelson Mandela has been exceptional African leaders who you cannot let go of his day without saying a thing.

He has done a lot and all over Africa and the entire world at large. We as sons and daughters of Africa cannot let this pass. We salute the late Mandela.

1. Mandela, son of Africa. You have gone to where Nyerere, Samora, Sokoine, Nkurumah, Neto, Lumumba and others are. What are the unforgotable sons of Africa saying?

2. Tell them we are still steady, taking ahead their struggle, their stability, their determination and their exceptional spirit of freeing the whole of African continent.

3. Mandela, son of Africa, your spirit of enduring, forgiveness and peace will not be forgotten by whoever loves peace. You have left a lesson for us and for the rest of our African leaders to bring all people together and live on equally.

4. You sacrificed your life for others. You had this true spirit of serving others, passionate, a man of people. Mandela when you became the first black president of South Africa, it was a great joy and a relief to all Africans within your country and outside. You were not selfish, and soon enough you left willingly your presidential post to others to lead South Africa as well. This was a great sense of maturity and a big lesson for all African leaders to accept “limitation”. What a lesson to learn!

5. Your life was one of tolerance and full of forgiveness, a lesson all of us have to learn and live. Mandela, you were a true servant of people.

6. Nyerere, your comrade did the same, he is also one of the unforgettable sons of Africa. He left a country of peace, togetherness and a spirit of helping each other.

7. As we still mourn the loss of Mandela, we have a lot ahead us to do. To take further all those you have left behind-- love, peace, forgiveness, togetherness and equal opportunity.

8. Mandela, son of Africa, you will meet Sokoine there, a man of people, who left us a lesson of equal opportunity, by equally sharing the national cake.

9. Together, we sons and daughters of Africa will forever value and treasure your efforts. Oh, true servant of the people, rest in peace Amen.

Ms Mashingia is a writer based in Arusha, Tanzania. She works with the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology.