President
Barack Obama brought former President George W. Bush with him to Africa
on Monday to attend a memorial for Nelson Mandela in a high-profile show of
American respect for the man who vanquished white-minority rule in South Africa.
After a long flight from Washington, Obama is to
speak on Tuesday at the memorial service in an 80,000-seat soccer stadium in
Johannesburg, where more than 70 leaders from around the world will commemorate
the life of Mandela, who died on Thursday at age 95.
At his side will be his
immediate predecessor, Bush, a Republican, as well as Democratic former
Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. The only surviving former president
not traveling was Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, who is 89.
On board Air Force One
for the cross-Atlantic flight to Africa were Obama, his wife, Michelle; Bush
and his wife, Laura; and Hillary Clinton, who was Obama's first secretary of
state and who is contemplating her own run for the presidency in 2016.
The fact that the
leaders from both parties joined together for the trip to South Africa
underscored the importance of Mandela's life and legacy, said Martha Joynt
Kumar, a political scientist at Towson University in Maryland who studies the
presidency.
"It puts a ... stamp on
the importance that the United States thought of Mandela, his importance as a
world leader," Kumar said.
Gesture of this magnitude is
lacking in Nigeria. I doubt if President Jonathan try this with other past
leaders of our beloved country Nigeria. A perfect food for thought for President
Jonathan.
Meanwhile, Nigeria was not given tribute opportunity in Nelson Mandela's
memorial service today! Could this act have been Mandela’s wish when he was
living? Could it be that the past hero never liked the way Nigerian Government
treated its citizenry? So many questions about this costly snub .
It’s a great blow to the supposed giant of
Africa and the largest and most populated Black nation in the world. My Dear
President Jonathan you really have to look inward once more and see if you can
restore some pride.
The world leaders who gave tributes are, United States
President, Barack Obama; President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil; Vice-President Li
Yuanchao of China; President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia; President Pranab
Mukherjee of India; and President Raúl Castro Ruz of Cuba.
Other
leaders include the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon; and the
African Union Commission Chair, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
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