Though long dead, Nelson Mandela still exercises symbolic power on development across Africa. The latest material evidence for the claim came alive today (17/07/20260 when CDD-West Africa marked the 2026 United Nations’ Mandela Day with the commissioning of a borehole for both the LGEA Primary School and the host Shadadi community in Kuje Local Government Area of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Mandela poster overlooking facilities on the ground from on-high!
The project for which the community did not have to lobby or do anything to get it is not only fully secured against potential threats, it is already pregnant with promises of other facilities. For one, CDD is saying it has found that a mini but highly modern library is, in its view, required in the LEA Shadadi Primacy School. According to Cde John Odah, Chairman of the International Governing Council of CDD who spoke at the handing over of the facility to the school and community heads, such a library facility will help the leaders of tomorrow to do better and enable Nigeria – the largest concentration of blacks in the world – assume the full giant of Africa.
That was what she found most meaningful at the event, what she pursued, what she got and what she shows to the world as her prize!
Cde Odah told his audience the CDD was in Shadadi to mark the day the UN set aside in commemoration of Nelson Mandela whom he describes as the symbol of black resistance and recognised as such by the UN action. He recalled how workers, civil servants and even students contributed from their earnings to the struggle against Apartheid, including from the first and every other Nigerian leader subscribed to the belief that racial superiority in South Africa was an act of aggression against all blacks.
“We are happy that liberation of South Africa happened in our life time”, said Odah who linked the provision of the borehole to an expansion of that freedom by taking facilities to communities that are also excluded.
The borehole as it were has been expanded to include solar energy which will guarantee uninterrupted usage. Additionally, it has separate components for the primary school and the host community, said Odah.
Excellent: No mixing up of tenses, no stage fright and no boring speech making!
The ceremony picked up after Muslim and Christian prayers on the primary school grounds at exactly 11. 31 am Friday. Then National Anthem. Then the Headmaster’s speech in which Kasimu Abdulrahman Shaba, declared: “Today is not just a day of celebration, it is a day that reminds us of the power of service, compassion and commitment to humanity. In the spirit of the great leader, Nelson Mandela, whose life was dedicated to justice, equity and improving the lives of others, CDD West Africa has demonstrated the true meaning of community development through this wonderful project”.
He goes on to call the project a priceless gift to the school because of the centrality of water to sanity and healthy development of children. He assured of collective protection of the facilities – the borehole, the energy support system and the renovated toilets.
Community leaders sign the transfer documents!
Mr Samuel Zakari who stood in for Chief Samuel Solomon, the Village Head of Shadadi, was no less excited, assuring too communal protection of the facilities. Same from Mallam Mohammed Abdulmuminu who stood in for the LEGEA Education Secretary and who demanded assurance of protection of the facilities by everyone in the school as well as the community. But that task will not be left to the pupils and the community alone as the Works Department of the Area Council would be involved. In fact, according to the Education Secretary, a full report of the event and the gesture from CDD would be officially compiled and made available to the Office of the Chairman of the Kuje Area Council who could not make it to the event. This, he argues, is because water and life constitute life and whoever, like CDD, brought them, has brought life.
Development as an articulated affair entangling community, school, CCD and women stakeholders
Development remains such a slippery, contested but ever appealing concept in spite of the big question it confronts: by whom and how is development best accomplished?
For the pupils, women and elders in Shadadi Primary School and community, such a question may no longer be anything but escapism as the answer cannot but be CDD-West Africa. Practically and pragmatically, they would be right in their answer even as the hybridity of factors, agency and interests in development or the totality of the speeches and presences at the event serve as confirmation of the articulated nature of development. We see that in this case in a CDD led but LGEA, community and even pupil supported effort. And, of course, the symbolic (Mandela), identity (Africans) and global reference (the United Nations).
