The Arch taught us to look inward
NEWS about the passing of one of the globally renowned leaders produced by our country, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, touched the hearts and minds of the world.
The Arch acknowledged that he was a mortal man. Despite his well-decorated accolades, like the Nobel Peace Prize, he shied away from being the centre of attention. We concede that his exemplary life is worth emulating
His Christian faith and values were central to his unwavering zeal to fight and defeat the apartheid system and its stubborn aftermaths. Daily, he spent time in prayer and meditation. These ingredients strengthened his commitment to fight against evil and social injustices such as human oppression and inequality.
As a son of the African soil, he demonstrated the symbiotic relationship between Christianity and African values and practices in contributing to global consciousness.
Coupled with his Christian beliefs, Ubuntu was one of the values he espoused and championed. In defining Ubuntu, Tutu said: “A person is a person through other people. It is not ’I think therefore I am’. It says rather: ’I am human because I belong’. I participate, I share.” (Eliastam, 2015). The saying umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (a person is a person because of others) essentially means that no one can be self-sufficient, and that interdependence is a reality for all.
Although most African knowledge systems are yet to be widely shared and embraced elsewhere, his life is testament to a few of the principles.
First, the solving of global crises requires leaders who are in touch with their inner beings. In a conversation between His Holiness Dalai Lama and Tutu, documented via a book titled The
Book of Joy, Dalai Lama said: “From the moment of birth, every human being wants to discover happiness and avoid suffering. No difference in our culture, or our education or religion affect this. The ultimate source of happiness is within us. Not money, not power, not status amount. Power and money fail to bring inner peace. Outward attainment will not bring real inner joyfulness. We must look inside.”
Second, there is an urgent need to recognise that solving global crises requires a shift from being hell-bent on individualism and materialistic accumulation. The growing inequalities and poverty are sufficient evidence illustrating that this approach has not worked and therefore should be done away with. Our societal and academic education systems should be refined to focus on growing leaders with hearts and minds.
Instead of focusing on the self, his life urges us to pay attention and produce leaders and citizens with attributes such as compassion and kindness.
In conclusion, the life of our Arch shows an urgent need for a paradigm shift entailing tapping into our inner beings or spirituality. For far too long, our focus, which gave rise to unequal societies and other socioeconomic barriers, has been outward.
His life further epitomises that upholding African principles of Ubuntu (collectiveness and interconnectedness) is equal to the task of dealing with global crises. His life attests that Africa and her people have a meaningful contribution towards reimagining and realising a free and fairer world that we jointly aspire for.
The well lived-life of the Arch is another reminder of Africa’s exemplary and well-oiled principles availed the world over. The jury is still out on whether the world will take up the lessons offered by this heroic continent.