And then Nelson Mandela passed away.

All Pause for Thought contributors on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show, myself included, were asked to prepare a script for Nelson Mandela’s passing (in case we were on the radio the following day).Reflecting on his legacy and leadership, it was Madiba’s decision to step down after a single term that really stuck with me. Unlike the dozens of post-independence African leaders who had clung to power, Mandela’s fuel was freedom, not power or control. He believed in South Africa, and giving her the space she needed to thrive. Mandela was an open leader.