The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday devoted the first session of its meeting to pay tribute to former South African President, Dr Nelson Mandela.
Mandela died on Dec. 5 at the age of 95.
Vice President Namadi Sambo, who presided over the FEC meeting, invited ministers and other presidential aides in at the commencement of the session to individually admonish the virtues of Mandela.
One after the other, about 20 council members participated in the session which lasted for 45 minutes.
In his tribute, Sambo said South Africa, and indeed the continent, had lost its greatest son who dedicated his entire life to the service of humanity.
He said Mandela was a great visionary, philanthropist and politician and anti-apartheid crusader whose entire life was devoted to the struggle for the equality among all races and nations.
“He spearheaded the struggle for an end to apartheid in South Africa, a struggle he paid for”.
The vice president stressed that Mandela was in prison and ex-communicated from the rest of the world for 27 years.
He added that in all these time, Mandela never wavered in his fight against racial discrimination which he believed in and in which he was ready to lay his life for.
“At the end of apartheid, Mandela left no one in doubt that his struggle was for mankind and all races, he never looked back to the dark days of apartheid struggle.
“As the first black President of South Africa where he presided over a post-apartheid regime, he made national reconciliation the primary task of his administration.
“He worked to reassure the white minority of running a multiracial government in a multiracial country where the right of every individual will be protected and guaranteed.
“After serving just one term in office and in spite of the very many successes he attained, Mandela did not rest on his oars.
“He continued with his activism and philanthropy at home and abroad despite his advanced age and health”.
Sambo said Mandela lived a life of exemplary leadership worthy of emulation.
All ministers, who paid the tribute, eulogised Mandela’s sacrificial and selfless quality. (NAN)
