The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the entire Ghanaian students both resident and abroad have been rocked with utter sorrow hearing the demise of His Excellency Nelson Mandela (Former President of the Republic of South Africa).
But we take consolation in the fact that Madiba, as affectionately called’ lived his life championing the freedom and development of not only the South African people but the entire African continent particularly the youth. HIS LOSS HAS CAUSED THE ENTIRE CONTINENT TO STAND STILL.
He stood for equality of rights of all manner of persons including students, of which the Ghanaian student was no different, and once stated that “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
It is not surprising that his (Madiba) life was blessed with several accoladesincluding the Nobel Peace Prize award he received in 1993 and the over 52 honorary degrees from academic and professional institutions across the globe. We are sad because we have indeed lost an incomparable treasure in the social and political history of the African continent. NUGS sympathizes with the good people of South Africa in this time of lost.
We wish to encourage all Ghanaian students to use this moment of loss to reflect on his ideals and values for humanity, particularly the youth, and internalize these ideals in our lives in our aspiration to replicate his greatness. He said “Young people must take it upon themselves to ensure that they receive the highest education possible so that they can represent us well in future as future leaders.”
The world has lost; Africa has lost; Ghanaian students have lost.
Rest well son of Africa, Rest well Teacher, and Rest well Grandpa; we shall always keep you in the deepest part of our hearts.
Adieu Madiba.
