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New Institute of African Royalty will honor Mandela

Source: Yahoo News (11-3-09)

JOHANNESBURG – Dancers clad in animal skins opened a royal ceremony Tuesday, a nod to tradition for the forward-thinking kings, queens and chiefs who jetted in to Johannesburg from across Africa to launch an institute they hope will expand their roles on the continent

The two dozen leaders from Morocco to Swaziland describe their new Institute of African Royalty as part think-tank on democracy and development, part lobby group to polish their image. They say their model is anti-apartheid icon and former President Nelson Mandela, and plan to honor the man referred to during Tuesday's proceedings as "Prince Mandela" at a gala ceremony in Pretoria, the capital, later this week.

Sello Hatang, a spokesman for the anti-apartheid icon's office, said Mandela "feels honored to be respected by the traditional leadership."

Mandela's family claims the royal chieftaincy of Mvezo, a village in southeastern South Africa, and he spent part of his childhood in the court of a tribal regent being groomed, like his father before him, to advise kings.

Posted on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 12:49 AM | Comments (0) | Return

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