In Africa, Obama reflects on Nelson Mandela’s role in his life

DAKAR, Senegal -- With 94-year-old Nelson Mandela possibly nearing death, President Obama on Thursday reflected on the role the civil rights icon had played in spurring him into political activism, saying he “gave me a sense of what is possible in the world.�

As a 19-year-old at Occidental College in Los Angeles, Obama became involved in the anti-apartheid movement when Mandela, a revered leader in the fight against white-minority rule, was imprisoned.

“I was inspired by what was taking place in South Africa,� Obama said at a news conference with Senegalese President Macky Sall, in which he praised the Supreme Court’s decisions on same-sex marriage. “I think at that time I didn’t necessarily imagine that Nelson Mandela might be released, but I had read his writings and his speeches, and I understood that this was somebody who believed in that basic principle I just talked about -- treating people equally -- and was willing to sacrifice his life for that belief.�

PHOTOS: South Africans hold vigil outside hospital treating Nelson Mandela

The former South African president, who spent 27 years as a political prisoner, remained in critical condition in a Pretoria hospital, as the world prepared for his death. “Our thoughts and prayers right now are with the people of South Africa and, more specifically, the Mandela family,� the president said.

Obama’s three-country, weeklong tour of Africa is scheduled to take him to Johannesburg on Friday, although Mandela’s death probably would scramble that schedule. Already the grim vigil has become a cloud over the trip, Obama’s first major tour to the continent since taking office.

The president has met Mandela once, as a senator, when the African statesman visited Washington in 2005. The president often cites Mandela as a political idol and inspiration. Obama’s 1995 memoir recounted some of his activism at Occidental, which he wrote initially began as a “lark� but grew into more serious work organizing events on campus. Obama counts his brief remarks at a rally on campus as his first speech, an experience he says left him wanting to say more.

“I’ve had the privilege of meeting Madiba and speaking to him,� Obama said at the presidential palace in Dakar, using Mandela’s nickname. “He’s a personal hero, but I don’t think I’m unique in that regard. I think he’s a hero for the world. And if and when he passes from this place, one thing I think we’ll all know is that his legacy is one that will linger on throughout the ages.�

The president, a law school student when Mandela was released from prison, said he was particularly struck by his remarks about reconciliation.

“For him to say, I embrace my former captors and my former oppressors, and believe in one nation and believe in judging people on the basis of their character and not their color,� Obama said, “it gave me a sense of what is possible in the world when righteous people, when people of goodwill work together on behalf of a larger cause.�

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