27 years after he was sentenced to life imprisonment for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the South African government, Nelson Mandela was released in 1990.
Ghana, among other countries, hosted the freedom fighter who had decided to tour the world to meet supporters and politicians to support sanctions against the apartheid regime.
He was received by Ghana’s Head of State at the time, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings in Accra who was dressed in military attire as a soldier and chairman of a military regime, Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC),which came into power after a coup d’état in 1981.
Meeting Mandela at the airport was a Ghanaian delegation made up of PNDC executives who had shown great support in the fight against the apartheid regime over the years.
President Mandela, in his address, thanked the Government of Ghana for the support it had for the Africa National Congress (ANC) during the years of struggle and implored the government to continue to lobby for democratic transformation in South Africa.
Nelson Mandela was transported in an open top 4×4 vehicle beside Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings through some principal streets of Accra for Ghanaians to catch a glimpse of the iconic leader, who fought tooth and nail to restore decency in South Africa politics.
Ghanaians from all walks of life gathered along the streets amidst cheering and tooting of horns to express their love for the courageous and selfless leader.
That was the only reported visit Nelson Mandela paid to Ghana which formed part of the global campaign to bring down the apartheid system leading to his election as President of South Africa in 1994.
Nelson Mandela died “peacefully” in Johannesburg at 2050 GMT last night at the age of 95 years.
Source: GhanaWeb
