Former South African President, Dr. Nelson Mandela, on Saturday night in Abuja dedicated his Pan African Broadcast Heritage Award (PABHA) to the memory of the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election Chief M.K.O.
Abiola, whom he described as a great Nigerian. Mandela, who was represented by a former South African President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki described how he first came into contact with the Abiola. He said President Ibrahim Babangida sent Abiola to mediate and talk to Mandela to reconcile with a sworn enemy of the African National Congress (ANC), who then was working against the interest of the party's success at the poll.
Mbeki did not name the "sworn enemy" of the ANC, but said the late politician had since become their friend. He said when Abiola arrived, he (Mbeki) tried to get the message from Babangida, but refused, insisting that he must deliver the message to Mandela personally. Mbeki said he then took Abiola to Mandela to personally deliver Babangida's message. Mbeki said Abiola later told a story of the black ant to describe how dangerous the "sworn enemy" was to the ANC. He said though the black ant was small, it could wreak much havoc if it had access to one's clothing. He quoted Abiola as saying that it was easier to take care of the black ant than to allow it to wreak havoc.
The Former South African President explained that the message from Abiola made the ANC reconcile with the "sworn enemy".
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