The African Leadership Academy community hereby express our deepest sadness at the passing away of our lifelong hero, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.
We all have been greatly inspired by the life he lived, the sacrifices he made and the many great lessons he taught us from the dock of a courtroom in 1964, the dark prison room on Robben Island, the presidential office in Pretoria, through his numerous speeches, and through his memoir, ‘Long Walk to Freedom’. He has been described as a fighter, a champion for freedom, a selfless leader, the moral compass of our world, and a man of courage, principle and unquestionable integrity, among other things. We remember him as one of the great inspirations behind the founding of African Leadership Academy. It is because of the life he lived and the values of courage, integrity, reconciliation and embracing diversity which he espoused that we aspire to develop the next generation of African leaders, cast in the mould of Nelson Mandela.
Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of African Leadership Academy responded to the news, saying “This is truly sad; Africa has lost one of its greatest heroes. Nelson Mandela lived an unparalleled life of tremendous service to his nation and to the world at large, and his memory will live forever”.
The entire ALA community gathered for a brief moment of reflection following the announcement of Mandela’s death, and will continue to celebrate his life for days and years to come. A register has been opened on our campus for our friends, guests and members of our community to express their appreciation for the man whose selfless spirit continues to motivate us in our daily work to transform Africa by ensuring lasting peace and shared prosperity on the continent.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family, his closest associates and all South Africans. As the world unites to celebrate his legacy, it is our sincere hope that his memory will live on and his life’s work will continue to inspire current and future generations to live selflessly for the greater good of our immediate communities and the world at large.
Rest in perfect peace, Madiba.
