Nelson Mandela turned 89 today, birthday gifts pile up, and South Africa celebrates. The still vibrant liberation hero and South Africa's first legitimate president still inspires hope, and continues to grow in popularity, whether dealing with his beloved South Africa, advising African leaders, or drawing the support of global football stars at a ceremony on Robben Island, where Mandela has said that soccer provided “a way of survival.” Mandela is the one African figure who is considered a global icon and hero.
It is easy to be cynical, about Africa and about just about anything. And Mandela is, of course, not beyond reproach. But despite all of my finely tempered professional cynicism, Mandela still stands as a hero to me and to millions in South Africa and across the globe. Happy birthday, Madiba.
