Mandela’s Granddaughter Blames South Africa For Not Respecting Nigeria’s Role Towards Her Country's Freedom
Ndileka Mandela, a granddaughter of the anti-apartheid and former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, has blamed her country for underestimating Nigeria's role in the liberation of the South African country in 1994.
According to the social activist, both South Africa and Nigeria should unite to rewrite their history of struggle and freedom from colonialists for the coming generation to understand and appreciate.
Ndileka disclosed this in a video at a public function of a Nigerian community in Johannesburg, obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday.
She also urged Africans to live in peace and unity, to move the continent forward in all ramifications.
From the video, it is revealed that the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa and traditional rulers were in attendance.
Ndileka said, “Thank you, thank you so much. His Excellency, the High Commissioner of Nigeria, his excellency the Consular of Nigeria, all the Obas, all the Igwes, distinguished guests, the diplomatic corps, thank you so much for inviting me here.
“I enjoy some Nigerian foods. I have been introduced to others as the grandchild of Nelson Mandela. But, whenever I introduce myself, I call myself the first of the first of the first. I’m the first granddaughter of his wife, Evelyn, of his first son, Thembekile who died in a car accident. So, I’m triple blessed.
“But, I’m here today for another thing like in my book ‘I Am Ndileka: More Than My Surname.’ I’m a gender activist and I founded a foundation called after my father as ‘The Thembekile Madela Foundation’ with the educational development legacy of my grandfather.
“I’m here today as a grandchild of Nelson Mandela with a dream and vision of peaceful Africa, Africa in peace with itself but also that is united. So I’m here to say that, South Africa and Nigeria should come together.
“The role Nigeria played in our liberation is often downplayed specifically by South Africa. That is entirely our fault because our history books do not contain our own history. It contains the history of the colonialists. So, it is up to us to change that narrative for generations to come because without our proper Africa history, we do not know where to go.
“We have got to start crafting our own history and tell our own story not through colonial eyes but through our narrative and our own eyes. That’s why our children do not know the role Nigeria played in the liberation of South Africa. So, we have to get our stories together and our heads together.”
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