The “Free Mandela Movement” in Freetown: In Honor of Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

The world has been mourning the death of Nelson Mandela who passed away on December 5, 2013. Since his death, superlative words, concepts, and metaphors—all deserved—are being used to describe him; his vision for equality, justice, and freedom; his unimpeachable credentials and approach to, and practice of, democracy; his indubitable personal sacrifices for the benefit of others; his selfless affirmation of the human spirit and resolve in the face of indignities, dehumanization, and oppression.  Mandela’s story, vision, and ideology inspired and called on many to political consciousness and action the world over. They will continue to do so in the years ahead because the ideas they contain are transcendental. The Mandela story is epic and universal: he is and will be forever symbolic of the indefatigable human quest for freedom, equality, justice, dignity etc. The movement to free Mandela from prison, and the related campaign to dismantle the racist and undemocratic apartheid government of South Africa that had imprisoned him in the first place, was a worldwide undertaking.

Many capital cities around the world had their own movements that tirelessly called, through protests and demonstrations and multiple forms of disobedience, for Mandela’s freedom and the end of apartheid. Granted, London was the epicenter of this global movement. But many capital cities in Africa joined this cause and initiated their own protests that called for Mandela’s liberation and the elimination of the racist government in South Africa. Freetown was at the forefront of the “Free Mandela Movement” in Sierra Leone. Although mostly under the radar at its inception, the movement nonetheless grew into a vibrant campaign that educated Sierra Leoneans about Mandela, the African National Congress (ANC), and the racist policies of the South African government. The movement organized protests, demonstrations and other forms of consciousness-raising activities to advance this cause. As the 1980s galvanized the Free Mandela Movement worldwide, a galvanization that would lead to his release in 1990, the Free Mandela Movement was a veritable part of the consciousness of some youth and student movements and organizations in Freetown.

For some in the generation of students making their transitions from secondary schools to colleges or universities in1980’s Sierra Leone, the Mandela story was a captivating one. In fact, for some in that generation, the Mandela story, alongside the 1977 students’ demonstrations, was their political coming of age. In the Free Mandela Movement, they saw hope for the oppressed and marginalized, and a platform that afforded their participation in a cause that was devoted to reclaim the dignity of Mandela and the dehumanized and subjugated people of South Africa. What began the transformation of the Free Mandela Movement in Sierra Leone was the formation of the Pan African Union (PANAFU) at Fourah Bay College, with its headquarters subsequently relocated in Freetown in the early 1980s. With PANAFU in place, the Free Mandela movement and anti-apartheid campaign became systematic and structured and better organized. PANAFU anchored the collective voices and yearnings of many who had wanted to show their solidarity with Mandela and the people of South Africa but did not have the organizing base to do so. Thus, PANAFU initiated and converted the Free Mandela Movement in Freetown into a creditable and potent force that mobilized youths and students to join the cause for the liberation of Mandela, the elimination of the apartheid government, and the restoration of majority black rule in South Africa. Furthermore, PANAFU maintained the Free Mandela Movement into an ongoing campaign that lasted until Mandela was released in 1990.

The organization made Mandela’s story symbolic of all oppressed Africans, and used his iconic status to tell of the possibilities of empowering black people, raising their political consciousness, and mobilizing their efforts and resources to regain and restore black dignity and humanity. To achieve its goals the organization planned many activities—educational, political, cultural, etc.—that kept the Mandela story and the anti-apartheid campaign alive in Freetown. It distributed pictures of Mandela, the manifesto of the ANC, as well as all literature about the anti-apartheid campaign, in schools, colleges and all places where youths and students converged. It educated Sierra Leoneans about the racist apartheid regime and its violence against black South Africans, including the Sharpeville Massacre, the Soweto Uprising, the brutal murder of Pete Biko in police custody, to name but a few.  The organization celebrated June 16, which had then been used to memorialize the Soweto Uprising and transformed into Youth Day. Spearheaded by PANAFU, June 16 was a day of education, participation and protests primarily by youths and students in Freetown, but also all over Sierra Leone. The ANC anthem, Nkosi Sikele’ iAfrika, became the de facto song of PANAFU. In fact its members were mandated to learn the song, which they sang at all events, and was the accompanying anthem for all the anti-apartheid and free Mandela marches, protests, and activities in Freetown.

For many in the generation at large, it was another song, Fire in Soweto, by the Nigerian musician Sonny Okusun that became the rallying cry against the brutal regime in South Africa. Fire in Soweto left an everlasting meaning in the consciousness and imagination about apartheid and the political violence it engendered. In fact, Okusun’s song was an instant hit in Sierra Leone (as it was in many African countries) when it was released in 1977; from then on, it was a constant presence in many places where youths gathered to talk and discuss Mandela and black political consciousness generally. Fire in Soweto spoke to us directly, and we related to its message. I am certain that there are a few in that generation who cannot, to this day, sing this song word for word.  It was popular in poda-podas and in taxis, as well as in nightclubs, bars and “poyo corners.” It was the anthem, so to speak, alongside the reggae songs of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, etc. in most, if not all, “potes.”

By the mid 1980s, as the Free Mandela Movement around the world intensified with the call for the imposition of sanctions on the South African Regime, the Freetown movement was not left behind. Its members protested and demonstrated in front of the embassies whose countries had opposed sanctions. These protests were mostly directed at the American Embassy (when it was located by Cotton Tree) and the British High Commission (when it was located at Lightfoot Boston Street). They frequently led to scuffles between protesters and the Police, resulting in the arrest and detention of some protesters at the CID, and at times at Pademba Road Prison.  Siaka Stevens, and later J.S. Momoh, who led Sierra Leone’s one-party APC government during the entire term of the movement in Sierra Leone, never looked at the Free Mandela Movement favorably.  In fact, Stevens had banned Free Mandela rallies at Sewa Grounds (Victoria Park), where protesters mostly converged then. As a matter of fact, Stevens never allowed any march or protest, however peaceful, in the name of Free Mandela. Stevens, and many in the “old” APC, had strong convictions that the Soweto Student Uprising in South Africa in 1976 had precipitated the 1977 students demonstration in Sierra Leone, a demonstration that nearly toppled his government.  So there was no way he was going to tolerate students and youths marching in Freetown to call for the freedom of Mandela. Since all protests and demonstrations had to have a permit from the police, there was no time under Stevens, and then later under Momoh, when an anti-apartheid or Free Mandela Movement rally was ever granted a permit. So, all the Free Mandela and anti-apartheid protests that occurred in Sierra Leone were deemed illegal and in violation of police law. As such police arrested protesters; at other times the Internal Security Unit (ISU) which later became the SSD fired fire tear gas at them. In fact, the presidency of J.S. Momoh, not surprisingly because it was the time the Free Mandela Movement became vibrant, saw the most arrests and detention of protesters, including those who were arrested and detained in 1988, when PANAFU organized and mobilized protesters to take part in the global Nelson Mandela 70^th Birthday Tribute and concert, which in Freetown was simply observed as “Mandela Day.”

In spite of the arrests and detentions, or because of them, the Free Mandela Movement in Freetown thrived. Its believers encouraged schools and colleges to allow their students to participate in activities such as panel discussions and other grassroots methods, as well as engage in protests and marches, during Soweto (Youth) Day, June 16, and African Liberation Day (ALD) May 25, which always ended with a Free Mandela and anti-apartheid rally. Even at Ramadan, during the famous Lantern Parade, there were lanterns with Free Mandela themes, images, and signs. Some Lantern clubs in particular made sure that Mandela was represented in some of their lanterns. In addition, there were “pikin” lanterns that represented Mandela in many forms. There were “potes” and youth meeting centers named “Mandela” in various parts of the city. In these places occurred some of the most passionate debates and discussions about Mandela. And it was in some of these discussions many started to make a connection between the overall aims of the Free Mandela Movement and the dispossession and displacement of urban youth in Freetown. In fact, it was not uncommon to hear street language in Freetown by the late 1980s referring to the “apartheid system” in Sierra Leone and labeling the “A” in APC as standing for apartheid.

One of the most successful activities the Free Mandela Movement launched in Sierra Leone was its support of Mandela Football Clubs. That is, by the mid ‘80s, many Mandela Football Clubs sprang up in and around Freetown. There were Mandela Football Clubs in the west, central and east ends of the city. These clubs identified and nurtured young football talents, some of whom later became recognized players in some of the first divisions clubs in the city; some even ended playing for the national team, Leone Stars.  In fact, the crop of players that came from Mandela Football Clubs contributed immensely to the most successful period ever in Sierra Leone football history when they won the Zone 2 tournament and qualified for two consecutive Africa Nations Cup tournaments in the mid 1990s.

Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 was another global event that was carried live on TV in many capital cities in the world, minus Freetown. By 1990, the national TV was kaput, and many of those who had protested, marched, and were arrested for the cause of Mandela did not see their iconic figure walk out of prison live as was the case for millions around the globe. Nevertheless, they were glued to their radios, and listened to effusive commentary describing the event of that glorious day in African liberation.

Many who participated in the Free Mandela Movement in Freetown did so with the firm belief that Mandela taught us abidingly that we must never remain silent in the face of injustice, inequalities, and oppression. They saw the Mandela story as part of a larger narrative that spoke of African liberation as well as their own aspirations for justice, dignity, and democracy. Mandela will be buried at his ancestral home on December 15. But the ideas and dreams he spawned will never die.  And as I close I want to mention three people, all deceased now, among many others still alive today, who made Free Mandela in Freetown possible. They are Muctarr “Solida” Mustapha, Cleo Hanciles, and Olu Awoonor-Gordon. May their souls and that of Mandela rest in peace.

By Patrick S. Bernard, Lancaster, PA, USA

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