History

Meet Jaja Wachukwu, The Nigerian Man Who Saved Nelson Mandela From Getting A Death Sentence

Published

4 years ago

Apr 10, 2021.

It was incredibly difficult, if not unlikely, to erase Jaja’s name from the history and victory books of Africa and Nigeria due to his major imprint and achievements in Nigerian and African politics.

But it is a fact that very little is known about Jaja Nwachukwu’s role in saving the life of the legend and statesman “Nelson Mandela” of [South] Africa during the famed “Rivonia Trial” in South Africa that pains us and motivates EKO HOT BLOG to write this.

Nelson Mandela was arrested and convicted of’sabotage’ in 1963, along with 12 other ‘extremely notorious’ South African politicians/activists, after being found at a farm in Rivonia where the thirteen had been hidden from the authorities for two years. He has been labeled a terrorist by the United States government after eluding the police and going into hiding after 1961.

Mandela grew much more outspoken and hostile to South Africa’s apartheid and repressive regime, as well as other guilty countries, while in detention.

Mandela later admitted to sabotage, but pled not guilty to all other allegations linked to apartheid brought against him by the government. At his sentencing, Nelson Mandela delivered a three-hour speech called “I Am Prepared to Die.” Mandela was found guilty and sentenced to death in 1964, despite this.

About this time (1964), Nigerian politician Jaja Nwachuku, who was extremely wealthy and influential, served as the country’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs.

After acting as Nigeria’s first Diplomat and Supreme Representative to the United Nations, Jaja was elected to this position. Via Jaja’s excellent display of work ethics (which was an inert characteristic of his), he acquired great renown and immense reverence in the United Nations, and thus established near relationships with numerous presidents of the United States between 1960 and 1963.

Mandela was wrongfully imprisoned, according to Jaja Nwachuku, who believed strongly in Mandela’s values and all for which he stood.

During the Mandela trial, Jaja mediated through the United Nations and the South African administration. Because of Jaja Wachuku’s presence, Nelson Mandela and the other 12 political figures were sentenced to life in jail rather than the death penalty.

On January 1, 1918, Jaja Wachuku was born into the royal family of King Josiah Ndubuisi Wachuku of Ngwa-Land, also known as the Igbos of Nigeria, in Eastern Nigeria.

Jaja was not only affluent and powerful, but also a brilliant student who earned several scholarships and awards during his school years.

Jaja was born into a rich family and received the best schooling he could afford in Nigeria, Ghana, and Angola before leaving Africa to pursue further studies in Europe (Ireland), where he subsequently graduated as a lawyer.

Jaja’s most coveted academic honors were a high school scholarship in Lagos, Nigeria, and then become the first African gold medalist in Trinity College’s “Oratory.”

Jaja was honorably called to the Irish bar in 1944. Jaja was, without a doubt, a brilliant man.

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