Madiba and MAC

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist, who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 - Wikipedia

Born 18th July, 1918, 
This is his 100th birth year

"Madiba and MAC" 
Makeda Antoine-Cambridge (MAC) has had a hero’s admiration and love for Nelson Mandela (Madiba), since she read A Long Walk to Freedom at the age of 19. “As the first autobiography that I read from cover to cover, it stayed with me,” says MAC. Her inspiration with him continued way past these years into the present moment. 2018 is his 100th birth year, and she had something strong and loving to say about this.

“Outside of my family, Madiba is the greatest human influence in my life. I always knew his story because my father, an enterprising, brave and curious man, had an interest in international matters, and would speak about certain things with care. I paid attention to the things he chose to speak about.” 

On April 27, Freedom Day in South Africa, MAC was honoured and humbled to be selected to speak for two minutes at the United Nations in her Ambassadorial role, in honour of this birth year celebration. For her, nothing could have been more pronounced and poignant.

Being picked to be one of the speaker countries on an occasion like this is not always possible. It can seem like the luck of a draw in this 193-member global organization. Many vie for the opportunity at these sessions, only some are picked.

Makeda stayed to the very last minutes, when yes, they called the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Ready with her speech, she had her moment in time, and after shared stories with other Ambassadors.

She learned about a role that Trinidad and Tobago played in the re-establishment of Mandela’s administration’s after his prison time. Trinidad and Tobago, among a handful of Caribbean nations including Jamaica and Cuba, offered help to him in the form of training his diplomatic personnel in Trinidad, and other areas. Cuba sent troops into South Africa.

Most knowledgeable people have a healthy admiration for Mandela. Younger generations may have a small idea, some may have no idea. However, there is no denying that most who know would agree that he is a legend of humanity, a change agent who accomplished the impossible in
one lifetime while showing the world through his captivation and persistence, that the impossible can be possible. 

In a nut shell and by no means in a heartbeat, Nelson Mandela walked out from 27 years in the South African penal system serving time in three separate locations from 1964 - 1990, where he had been confined for his anti-authoritarian, anti-apartheid views. 

In the aftermath of his prison time, he arose to see the abolition of the almost 50-year regime of Apartheid, under whose authority he had been captured in the first place, and then to succeed to the highest position in the political landscape as the President of that intensely beautiful, deeply-scarred, culturally-divided nation of South Africa.

“Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela died three days after my first visit to South Africa in 2013, a visit during which I drove past one of his former abodes and envisioned him standing in the window. I missed his wake and the celebrations of this great man, my hero. I would have given a lot to have been in his presence at his death. Not only do I have a love for Nelson, but also for his people. 

“As much as I love Madiba, I am also inspired by Winnie.

“She was unbreakable. Her spirit, love and defiance to a toxic system carried the torch during Mandela's time of incarceration, ensuring that it never dimmed, so that one day Apartheid would be no more." 

Here is MAC’s personal moment with Madiba.