Mandela now Lives in UK Parliament Square...FOREVER!

What a man, what a manner: The Legend and legacy of Nelson Mandela raises masses and passion. Now, on Wednesday 30 August 2007, it rises in grandeur in the Parliament Square, London. In a bronze statue. In conquest over all adversity: apartheid being chief. In majesty!

We hail thee, Madiba. You will live forever in hearts and minds. Your long walk from prison makes a milestone-stopover in the hallowed square of democracy, in da land that helped ya tormentors decades before!

But by twists and turns, and the hand of fate, your noble soul be unbroken, be not bitter, and now stands tall in the square of honour and nobility! Your bust is in da company of greats, for you be The Greatest of our Times! Bravo, father of peace, you have a special patch, in every sense plus...a prestigious and permanent perch, alas! All hail da legend!

Now, a word for the brave and blended: Thank you Oh London for so bravely dispensing with da brutal past, so nobly enthroning da brazen truth, and so sweetly casting a message of balance and bliss for all time! Bravo to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and all Britons of conscience and love. Thanks for the denouement, the fine humanity...

Oh Mandela, our Dearest Madiba, live now FOREVER!

The White House: Getting Lonelier For GB!

They are all gone! Or are they? You must pity President Bush. All his Texas friends - many say, Texas crowd - are gone! Poor George...

The dramatic, though long-expected, departure of attorney general Alberto Gonzales has finally come. He leaves in September. Added to that of Carl Rove, the political genius or mastermind of the Bush presidency, the deck seems cleared! Of course there is the ultra-loyal secretary of state, Condoleesa Rice, sitting pretty. And the powerful vice president, Dick Cheney, hanging in there. But, pray GB, it's not da same way or da same game anymore!

The White House is depleted. The place is getting lonelier for the gregarious president. This must be tough, gritty tough. But is it good? I say yes.

No question.

The Weather and Us

How can one "have a great day!" when, no matter where you turn, there are people and places hurting and mourning? The floods, heat, winds, fires, quakes, planes and just about anything on earth and in the firmament are heartlessly wreaking havoc WORLDWIDE!!!

We must sympathise and empathise, condole and commiserate, and we must...reflect very very deeply. Let's move aid and assistance fully and swiftly to all in need.

Then the real and final task: Our answer to this 4-year old girl's golden question: "Where is the government???"

The World Government is the United Nations. Just as we work together on "bird flu" and other plagues, let's tackle the Weather and its Fall-outs jointly....NOW!

A special session of world leaders should be convoked right away. And its only agenda is Action, Action, ACTION!

Pray Zimbabwe, What Next?

Is it just me, or is it how we should all be?
All of us - of flesh and blood
I bleed for Zimbabwe - the food basket that holds no meals
I bleed
I bleed for my brethren - fellow Africans that find no fellowship
I bleed
I bleed for Zimbabwe - the land of liberation that lacks much freedom
I bleed, I bleed, I bleed!

Somehow, I still can't understand or decipher how South Africa and Nigeria didn't or couldn't make peace in this sister-nation. Why? Why?? Why???

Somehow, we must return to Zimbabwe. All of us AFRICANS. Led by our LEADERS.

Peace in Zimbabwe is a task that must be done. Fast.

Mandela and The ELDERS Forum

You cannot but be grateful that Papa Nelson Mandela remains a huge blessing to our universe, and our times - spanning generations.

Leading a new global conclave of distinguished retired or ex-World Leaders, male and female, he has brought a unique halo to the fading-tradition and ancient custom of both peace-making and problem-solving: Da Wisdom of ELDERS!

Initiated by the conscience-driven British businessman, social entrepreneur and irrepressible world citizen, Richard Branson, and musician Peter Gabriel, it paraded "heavies" like Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Kofi Annan and Mary Robinson. You know what that means!

As we await further details, there can be no shortage of global assignments for these greyheads!
They say they'll work quietly and mostly behind-the-scene: They are not in competition but in complementarity. Great stuff.

On the platform that day, the elders lined up to celebrate The Madiba @ 89. My eyes welled both for the moving mystique, flooding memories and ONE missing personality - Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo! God, it pains...

Well, happy birthday Papa. God be with you!

Libya Plays Right

Releasing the Bulgarian nurses and Palestinian doctor accused, convicted and sentenced to death over HIV/AIDS-related charges was a smart diplomatic move by Libya. The "convicts" fully deny the charges till this day.

I appreciate Libyan President Qaddafi and French First Lady Madame Sarkozy for this. Kudos also to all other overt and faceless players around the globe. Well done!

No doubt, there were deals all the way! Now, the "prisoners" are back home, and free - after about 9 years out in the desert nation. Libya has also, consequently resumed full international engagement - ending the uneasy relations with the West over this issue. So should it all stay.

The brewing spats and controversies over pardons and arms deals, etc. are unnecessary and should be resolved positively. On all sides.

Brown on the Bounce!

We welcome Prime Minister Gordon Brown to 10 Downing Street - UK's hottest seat of power! I personally applaud the transition/succession act of the Labour Party in this regard. Bravo folks, well done!

Has he started well? No question. What with his baptism of fire! The failed terror attack. The floods. Now, "food and mouth" disease.

Has he stood firm and tall? The polls say YES. And I agree.

Will he be further, even fuller tested? You bet.

But here is the swell one for me: His sombre, solid and rousing CALL for urgent and concerted ACTION on the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Deftly delivered at the instance of UN Sec-Gen Ban Ki-Moon, to a choice audience in UN headquarters, New York, Mr Brown has rightly taken on the world. Good strike!

Then the meeting at Camp David - the two GBs - President George Bush and Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Good start. And a healthy, if tentative, meeting of minds.

Welcome GB, and very best wishes! The world be now ya stage.

My Apologies

My absence was caused by problems at our ISP. I regret the inconvenience and blackout visited on all my readers and patrons.

Well, I am back!

I intend to do catch-up work in humble and token compensation.

Kindly bear with me.

God bless