Opinion
Why Mandela Was So Unique
After suffering from a series of severe lung infections for more than two years, Nelson Rolihlahia Madiba Mandela, the anti-apartheid hero and former South African president, had a date with death at home and right in the company of some of his family members.
Mandela, the global statesman, who liberated South Africa from the dark and horrifying days of apartheid, died at 95. His death elicited unprecedented though expected widespread reactions globally.
The late anti-apartheid hero meant many things to many persons. To his persecutors during the apartheid regime, he was a terrorist, a dissident and a rebel. But to the majority of South Africans, he was a symbol of freedom and sovereignty as well as one who embodied their sense of a common nation.
Beyond what South Africans think about their hero, world leaders and indeed the international community think, Madiba (as he was fondly called) was one of the greatest men born on earth. No wonder minutes after the news of his death broke, many world leaders across the globe paid their respects.
The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, in a statement, described him as a great light which has gone out in the world. Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said the political leader was a “great man” who had made racism “not just immoral but stupid”.
But more intent and obsessive is the passionate description of Mandela by his old ally and friend, Ahmed Kathrada, with whom he shared his prison sentence on Robben Island. His statement:
“We have known each other for 67 years, and I never imagined I would be witness to the unavoidable and traumatic reality of your passing.
“I had the enviable privilege of being alive and walking the earth with you through the bad times and the good. It has been a long walk with many challenges that at times seemed insurmountable. And yet we never faltered, and the strength of leaders like you … always shone a light on the path and kept our destination and our people’s future in view”
Amidst the tributes or esteem pouring in from all over the world for the famous late world leader, what exactly makes Mandela so unique, so special?
First, he emerged from 27 years incarceration and bore no malice towards anyone. Rather he insisted on reconciliation through his Truth and Reconciliation Commission in order to heal wounds caused by years of bitter hatred.
Demonstrating the exemplary leader he was, Madiba, during the 1995 rugby world cup final, donned a Springbok jersey and took to the field in a bid to unite the nation behind the predominantly white South African team.
Also, in 1994, Mandela became the first elected black president of South Africa. However, unlike many world leaders, who once given the opportunity to rule, would want to cling on to power until death do them part, or they destroy their countries, the South African hero stepped down immediately he completed his first tenure in keeping with his earlier promise to rule for a tenure.
Nelson Mandela was not an ordinary politician. His story was a life-enhancing experience. He humbled a lot of his countrymen and women by turning them into better human beings. More importantly, he caused them to embrace reconciliation at a time when the entire nation was bearing the scar of apartheid. During much tensed political moments in the country, when anti-white sentiment prevailed, Mandela became a stabilizing factor.
Madiba was particularly gracious, generous and divine. In one of the many defining moments of his persistent effort to reconcile deeply divided communities, he visited a bewildered Betsie Verwoerd, widow of the originator of apartheid, Hendrik Verwoerd, who jailed him.
It was during Verwoerd’s tenure (1958-1966) the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party were outlawed, driving Mandela underground hence his eventual arrest, prosecution and life incarceration for conspiracy to overthrow the government.
However, like every mortal being, Mandela was human, frail and therefore prone to errors. At a time the world watched helplessly as the late hero became a victim of his fragile humanity. Following estranged relationship with Winnie, his erstwhile lovely widow, Mandela filed divorce proceeding which terminated their union.
Indeed, Mandela was elegant. His charisma defied flamboyance which originated from deep inner strength that seemed to come only from true suffering.
The question is how can we best immortalise this icon? By naming institutions or infrastructure after him or pouring eulogies? I think the best way to immortalise him is to stand for what he stood and suffered for—the struggle for justice and the fight against tyranny and oppression as well as forgiveness and reconciliation.
Arnold Alalibo
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo