Ex-Presidential Candidate Mourns the Demise of De Klerk with Salient Lessons for Nigeria

– South Africa’s last white president, FW de Klerk is dead!

Ex-Presidential candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in the 2019 election, in Nigeria, Princess Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, has joined several sympathisers and well wishers to mourn the demise of de Klerk, South Africa’s last white president. The news was received with sadness after the passing of the former president after a long battle with cancer on Thursday 11, November 2021 at age 85. De Klerk had announced his diagnosis on his 85th birthday, on March 18 this year.

His foundation announced, “It is with deepest sadness that the FW de Klerk Foundation must announce that former president FW de Klerk died peacefully at his home in Fresnaye earlier this morning following his struggle against mesothelioma cancer,” it said. He is survived by his wife Elita, children Jan and Susan, and grandchildren. “The family will, in due course, make an announcement regarding funeral arrangements,” it added.

Born in the economic hub of Johannesburg, into a family of Afrikaners, a white ethnic group descended mainly from Dutch colonisers, his father was a leading apartheid senator who served briefly as interim president. He studied law, before being elected to parliament as a member of the National Party that instituted apartheid.

De Klerk then held several ministerial positions before he became the president in 1989, a position he held until he handed over the reigns to Mandela after the first democratic elections in 1994. He is most remembered for his famous speech delivered on February 2, 1990, announcing the lifting of a ban on the African National Congress (ANC) and other liberation movements. In the same speech, he ordered the release from prison of anti-apartheid icon Mandela after 27 years in jail. He became the last leader of the National Party to preside over the Apartheid system.

History will remember Mr de Klerk for accepting the reality that so strong was the opposition to the apartheid system that it would be futile to try to perpetuate a system which excluded, oppressed and denied the dignity of the majority of the South Africa people. The decision he and his cabinet colleagues took and announced on 02 February 1990, to release political prisoners and unban political organisations, paved the way for the formal negotiations which led us to the democratic transition.

As provided for by the Interim Constitution, Mr de Klerk and his National Party colleagues served for a short while in the Government of National Unity formed after the 1994 elections, helping our country to take the first steps towards healing and nation building. De Klerk and South Africa’s first black president and Nelson Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for leading the “miracle” transition from white rule in the country.

Mr. de Klerk’s passing serves as a moment for all South Africans to reflect on the need to complete the journey to which he committed himself and South Africa to in 1994, of building a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous country that truly belongs to all who live it. It should also be an opportunity of a great reflection for President Buhari of Nigeria on the need for him, President Muhammadu Buhari and other political actors, “blinded by ambition, to see the need to fix Nigeria before the imminent eclipse of her horizon which we all could see as it beacons right before our very eyes.” as being echoed.

To the Nigerian president, I therefore quote a few lines, as example, from CHIEF AYO ADEBANJO in his paper titled, “FIXING NIGERIA, BEFORE THE FALL” BEING THE TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE STATEMENT BY CHIEF AYO ADEBANJO, THE LEADER OF THE AFENIFERE AT WHEAT BAKER HOTEL, IKOYI, LAGOS STATE, PRESENTED ON THURSDAY 11TH NOVEMBER, 2021, coincidentally the same day that De Klerk died in Fresnaye, South Africa.

It states, “Let it be heard loud and clear; Afenifere shall be leading the Yoruba nation to demand substantial restructuring, before any FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS might be held in 2023, and the response of the Buharist regime to these equitable demands for restructuring the country along federalist lines, in order to restore it to its roots and original agreements, shall go a long way in shaping the position of the Yoruba people in the future, but let it be heard loud and clear; NIGERIA IS NOT ONLY NEGOTIABLE, IT IS EVIDENTLY DYING.”

Also, as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said De Klerk’s death “should inspire all of us to reflect on the birth of our democracy”; Adesanya-Davies added, it is time for President Buhari and his APC led government like Mr. de Klerk:

“to accept the so strong reality, the opposition view to his dictatorial terrorist regime system and game which is rather undemocratic; and that it would be futile to try to perpetuate an Islamic government which excludes, oppresses and denies the dignity of the majority of the Nigerian people. That he and his cabinet and colleagues should take the right decision and decide to release his political prisoners and activists such as Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho, and organise a sovereign national conference to pave the way for the formal negotiations which will lead Nigeria to substantial restructuring and true federalism before it is too late. It is time to form formally a Government of National Unity, so as to help Nigeria to take the first steps toward healing and regionalised nation building in support of the 2014 National Confab.”

Interestingly, the FW de Klerk Foundation released a video recording – dubbed his “final message” – in which he talks about apartheid. It reads, “Let me today, in the last message and repeat: I, without qualification, apologise for the pain and the hurt, and the indignity, and the damage, to black, brown and Indians in South Africa,” he says. This is a great lesson, especially to all aged persons in leadership positions.

Princess Adesanya-Davies is the Chairperson on the Board of Prof. Mercy Ade-Davies Foundation (PMADIF), as well as, the Country President and International Director of United Nations Positive Award Centre (UN-POLAC) International Peace Advocates.

Adesanya-Davies sends deepest condolences to former President de Klerk’s family, and the members and staff of the FW de Klerk Foundation and South Africans as a whole.

May Mr. de Klerk’s soul rest in perfect peace, amen!

REFERENCE

RACHAMREPORTERS
13 November 2021