While some are calling for the first post-independence President of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere, to be made a saint, others are debating whether this should be so. What is remarkable in all this is not the debate itself but that such debate is about an African politician not an African priest, bishop or nun. It is more remarkable that such debate is taking place at all! For a continent whose politicians are often mostly noted for their amorality and cultivation of all kinds of vices, just the claim that one of its previous leaders should be made a saint is quite remarkable. It is further quite remarkable because the Mo Ibrahim Foundation has for years been looking for worthy African leaders to squander cash on as a lifetime gift, but has found very few. It is even more remarkable because there are currently many Roman Catholic politicians in Africa whom one would not be surprised to find them in hell!
In spite of all this, some are calling for, and others are debating, that one of them should be made a saint, declaring that such a person is in heaven with God! If nothing else, this speaks of the complexity and even paradox that is Africa - a place of amazing beauty and astounding rapacity.
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President Julius Nyerere and Pope John Paul II
From BBC via Getty
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