M. K. Ghandi
Because he was the most human of us all
Steve Biko
Because he would have been the legitimate forerunner of the anti-apartheid movement
Yitzhak Rabin
Because he would have managed to bring peace to the Middle East
Barack Obama
Because you just came back from sequestration on Mars if you do not know why
Kaka
Because he combines supreme talent with the fear of God and modesty - a rare thing in the 2000s
Corazon Aquino
For such grace, dignity and bravery
Aung San Suu Kyi
Because she has more balls than the military in Burma
Tony Blair
Because he has the gift of gab
William Jefferson Clinton
One politician I could trust that he really believed in what he was saying (bar Lewinsky), plus he has no prejudice or bigotry in him
Nelson Mandela
For how he kept a volatile country together in the 90s
Nana Yaw Asiedu
ReplyDeleteFor his unique and beautiful writing style.
Interesting one Nana Yaw...But I have to disagree with you on MK Gandhi. Indeed he showed amazing humility and commitment to non-violence but in his early days in South Africa, he was strictly focused on civil disobedience to get more rights for Indians. At the same time, he regarded black Africans with disdain and contempt. Well, maybe his opinion of black people changed when he went back to India. I would give Bill Clinton the "gift of gab" and take Tony Blair off my list!
ReplyDeleteDitto, Kissi
ReplyDeleteKissi, for being an unfailing friend always! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Aby. Thanks for educating me. Next time, I'll check my facts in fuller detail. I should have praised Ghandi when he became "Mahatma" and not when he was plain "ole" Mohandas Karamchand. Thanks. Both Clinton and Blair possess the gift of gab, no? Thanks, Aby.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anon. I wish I knew who you were, to thank you by name for your kindness.
ReplyDeleteo yes! Ghandi! yessssssssssssss! and i bet next time i'm asked who is a human being, my definition is going to be just that name! Mahatma Ghandi!
ReplyDeleteand then there, stevie Biko!!! Mandela too!
as for obama, ehmmmmm i think he just got the momentum, hope he keeps it burning!
beautiful....
Nice one again. I'd have to kinda agree with Abena though. Tony Blair would not be on my list and Bill aswell. In my opinion he does have prejudice..saw some evidence of that during the primary election campaign. They both have the gift of gab though, tru tru :-P Have a nice day Nana.
ReplyDeleteNana, i see that Ghandi is becoming controversial, but i still maintain that Ghandi was a human being! very human so!
ReplyDelete(perhaps the 'MOST' human compared to the rest of us is what the problem is and i don't agree to that myself. i don't think anyone is more human than Osama Bin Ladin fundamentally or Ataa Ayi or 'The working gals'!)
just like Saul becoming Paul in the Bible.
Ghandi was first a nationalist who thought he could get Indians and India free by adopting some funny tactics. later events lead him to discoveries of the self, religion as a whole and humanity in general!
so one can see his work (which included violent tactics) in South Africa against the blacks as one of those unique and SIGNIFICANT indeed passages in life. we all do learn a thing or two from time to time!
In later years his teachings of non-violence was of such a high standard that i guess only the likes of Jesus could keep faith with. and even so Ghandi did not advocate; call it 'camouflage non-violence'. he actually said one must not hide under non-violence only to protect his/her cowardice (like the way one is not allowed to become a Catholic priest only to hide his impotence or castration - hehe)!
i'm not totally against violence myself. Ghandi loved women PERHAPS more than i do or PERHAPS women love me more than Ghandi had and that is just human!
so Nana really i believe just like many others like Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr., and Al Gore and even Obama take inspiration from Ghandi that Ghandi was lived his life like a human being ought to!!!
Nana Yaw and Kissi, get a room! Lol.
ReplyDeleteBut Nana, why do you allude bravery and valour to 'balls'? Lets use a gender-neutral body part like 'guts', no?