Nelson Mandela International Day was launched in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday on eighteenth July 2009, through unanimous decision of the United Nations General Assembly in recognition of Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service for humanity in conflict resolution, race relations, promotion and protection of human rights, and reconciliation.

Emmanuel Okonkwo reports that Nelson Mandela was a South African freedom fighter, who lived between eighteenth July 1918 to fifth December, 2013.

He actualized his goal through diplomacy and without bloodshed, and was inaugurated as South Africa’s first democratically elected President on tenth May, 1994, and later stepped down in 1999 after his first term in office.

The international day is more than a celebration of Madela’s life and legacy, it is a global movement to honour his life’s work and to change the world for the better as the UN resolution also acknowledged Nelson Mandela’s contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world, gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups, the fight against poverty, and promotion of social justice.

Speaking on the essence of the day, the President of a Non-governmental Organisation, Mr Lawrence Onuzulike while describing Nelson Mandela as a leader worth emulating, called on representatives of people in Nigeria, especially those from the South East zone, to be good representatives of people’s opinion in order to enthrone a peaceful society.

On his part, a Stakeholder in Awka, Comrade Obi Ochije-Modilim while commending the approach employed by Nelson Mandela in securing freedom for people of South Africa, called on freedom fighters in Nigeria to emulate the great Mandela and avoid actions that could cause bloodshed.

In  various interviews, an Awka resident, Mrs Anulika Epundu-Okonkwo, and her Onitsha counterpart, Mrs Chisom Agu, regretted the rate of killings in Nigeria in recent times, and called on government at all levels to dialogue with various freedom groups in the Country, in order to put an end to the incessant killings and destruction of lives and property.

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