Desmond Tutu
(The Priest of Liberty)
The last Icon of the struggle against Apartheid is gone! He died today 26th December
2021(Boxing day). Desmond Tutu stood on the pages of the Bible to wage war against
apartheid, the purity of his morality, spirituality and social crusade reverberates across
the world. His death and legend is a great opportunity for South Africans and Africans at
large to revisitand reinvent the course of social justice.
The world needs so many of Desmond Tutu; in this generation that the pulpit has been
turned to a platform to grandstand and acquire material progress, Desmond Tutu is not
only a spiritual but moral relief! His studious stand against racial justice and LGBT rights
defined him asa non-segregationistand universal human rightactivist.
I was attracted to him not just because of his activism but his immense intellectual
sagacity, his book ‘Hope and Suffering’ is one of the most treasured collection in my
library, he gave life, meaning and hope to the struggle againstapartheid.
He was ordained a priest in 1960 and thereafter he became the bishop of Lesotho from
1976-78. In 1984 he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent struggle against
apartheid, according to the Nobel Committee Tutu was regarded as a “unifying leader
figure in the campaign to resolve the problem of apartheid in South Africa” He became
the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985 and subsequently appointed the first black
Archbishop of Cape town. From the pulpit he spoke out against oppression of the black
people and injustice all around the world. In 1994 Desmond Tutu was appointed the
Chairman of Truth and Reconciliation Commission(TRC) which was created by
President Nelson Mandela. He brought his moralauthority to bear on the commission.
One of the most inspiring aspect of his leadership is the consistency of rejecting abuse of
power during apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. He was indeed a man of high
principles! In his life time over 100 universities around the world bestowed honorary
degrees on him.
He won the Gandhi Peace prize award in 2007 and was awarded the presidential medal of
freedom in 2009 by the government of America.
Desmond Tutu is one of the bravestand most courageous African that ever lived.
Rest in Peace Desmond Tutu!
Amandla!
Hon. Adeyemi Abidemi Adebola