Of all the factors of production, land is the most contentious. At the root of the Palestinian crisis that has been lingering for decades is land ownership. Sovereignty and independence is meaningless if the citizens do not own land. It is the greatest asset of any country, after people. Recently, some countries outside Africa were buying arable lands in this rich continent as part of their long-term food security strategy. The Arabian Gulf countries have acquired farmlands in countries· like the Sudan. But, should foreigners be allowed unrestricted access to prime African lands and are they pushing prices beyond what most locals can afford?

Some Zimbabwean white farmers were invited by the Kwara State government to come and do commercial farming in the state when Zimbabwe's Mugabe seized their farmlands for redistribution to blacks in that country. No one is aware under what conditions they were given this concession. Some countries, such as South Africa, are beginning to look at the issue very critically. A panel of experts presented a request to the South African cabinet in 2007 which consisted of several recommendations including compulsory disclosure of a foreign buyer’s details, special ministerial approval for certain categories of land being sold and consideration of long-term leasing of land rather than outright sale.

Of concern to the South Africans, and the reason for the government's showing concern over the issue, is the extent at which property prices have risen in recent years taking prime land, especially on the coast, beyond the reach of most South Africans. The panel was charged with probing the degree to which foreign buyers are inflating local land and housing prices and how much land is being bought by them.

There are many countries around the world that have imposed some restrictions on foreigners' ownership of their countries' lands. In Australia, foreigners cannot buy an existing house, they must build one. This helps to keep the supply of new houses going and theoretically keeps prices low. In Mexico, foreigners are not allowed to build within 100km of the beach in an attempt to reserve prime land for Mexican nationals. In Pakistan, both locals and foreigners can only buy one farm each.

Similarly, in Mozambique, foreigners can not own land outright; they are restricted to a 50-year leasehold renewable on review. Mauritius has opened beach properties to foreigners, but only those in commercial developments such as golf courses, residential areas and holiday clusters. No such limitations exist in Nigerian property ethos. Anybody can own any property anywhere in Nigeria with a 99-year certificate of occupancy for both citizens and foreigners. This ought to be reviewed, taking into account current global trends and future projections.

For instance, with the climate change issue now at the forefront of the global agenda, there is need for Nigeria and indeed the whole of Africa to start reviewing our land policy since we have the last unexplored virgin territory in the world. If not, before we know it we will be turned into landless paupers. I watched as the president of the tiny island state of Maldives, near India, was talking to a CNN correspondent that his country will soon be submerged by rising sea level and that he is considering buying land for his citizens in another part of the world before they end up landless. Are we waiting for the worst before we start acting?

To this end, urban land development should provide for a variety of income levels and to move away from spatial patterns in which the poor are placed on the periphery of cities and towns. Moreover, a balance must be struck between the needs of the local population and the potential for economic growth within the country. We obviously need foreign investment but we cannot allow foreign investment to shape everything in our country. Our own growth and development priorities need to be the key shaper of where things go.

Even though Africa as a continent is responsible for only about 3.8 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, there are some factors that make it one of the most vulnerable continents as far as climate change is concerned. First, due to its position on the globe, Africa already has warm climate and is exposed to inconsistency in rainfall. Secondly, most African countries' economies are dependent on sectors that are susceptible to climate variations. And, third, but most importantly, there is poor economic and social infrastructure, widespread poverty and limited institutional, financial and human capacities to respond appropriately.

Consequently, Africa will face greater challenges due to climate change than any other continent. The combination of population pressure, climate change/climate refugees as well as present and future conflicts appear overwhelming. Many recent writers  are of the opinion that many conflicts in Africa are caused mainly by greed for resources. Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa, it is one of the most endowed resource-wise and it is one in the most diverse. Certainly, we cannot be immune to these issues and there is need to take appropriate steps to address this issue of land in the interest of stability. God save Nigeria.

In September 1989, F.W. de Klerk, apartheid South Africa's last president, came to power, taking over from P.W. Botha. De Klerk carefully began reassessing South Africa's prospects. After 40 years in power, the white National Party was able to make the white population prosperous and powerful, but they were being treated as pariahs by the rest of the world, subjected to travel bans, sports boycotts, trade sanctions and hostile comments. At the international level, the collapse of socialist governments in Eastern Europe in 1989, the independence of Namibia which was concluded in December 1988, and the challenges facing the Soviet Union as a result of Gorbachev's perestroika and glasnost were major watershed events.

De Klerk was quick to grasp the importance of these strategic happenings. Although a product of the apartheid system, he was also a pragmatist. Thus, in the white parliament in Cape Town on February 2, 1990, he announced that he was lifting the ban on the African National Congress (ANC) and releasing the most famous prisoner in the world, Mr. Nelson Mandela. "It is time for us to break out of the cycle of violence and break through to peace and reconciliation," he declared. He outlined new aims towards which the government would work, which included a democratic constitution and universal franchise. In effect, de Klerk pronounced the death of apartheid.

Thus, on February 11, 1990, exactly 20 years ago today, Nelson Mandela, then 71, walked through the gates of Victor Vester prison in Paarl, near Cape Town, hand in hand with his wife Winnie towards a waiting crowd of supporters and the world media. Within a moment, he became a global symbol of courage, determination and freedom. He held up his clenched fist, in the ANC symbol. After 27 years in prison, it was a moment of liberation experienced around the world.

As many commentators have opined, the example Mandela set was of profound importance. No matter what personal hardship he had undergone, he was determined never to lose sight of his ultimate goal of building a non-racial democratic society. He insisted on reconciliation, which undermined the demands of those seeking revenge and retribution. His generosity of spirit had a profound impact on his white adversaries, earning him measures of trust and confidence that laid the foundation for a political settlement.

After a series of formal and informal negotiations, on April 26, 1994, Nelson Mandela walked up the steps of the Ohlange High School in Inanda, near Durban, to cast his vote. Soon after emerging from the polling station, he said, "This is for all South Africans an unforgettable occasion. We are moving from' an era of resistance, division, oppression, turmoil and conflict arid starting a new era of hope, reconciliation and nation building." The ANC easily became victorious in the 1994 elections, as much a victory for the movement as it was a personal tribute to Mandela. After three centuries of White rule, the transfer of power was accomplished in an atmosphere of enormous goodwill.

On May 19, 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president of South Africa. Heads of states, royalty, government leaders as well as other dignitaries representing over 170 countries gathered in Pretoria to witness the greatest day and the greatest celebration in the history of South Africa. In his inaugural address, Mandela promised the nation thus: "We enter into a covenant that we shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world."

The legacy of apartheid included a wide disparity in wealth. But the assets South Africa possesses to help it overcome this legacy are massive. They included one of the world's richest treasures of minerals, having 44 per cent of world diamond reserves, 82 per cent of manganese reserves and 64 per cent of platinum-group metal reserves. South Africa is the world's largest provider of gold; its financial, banking and legal systems are advanced; and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is the 10th largest in the world. The infrastructure of roads, railways, seaports and airports is well developed. Telephone and electricity services are reliable. The education system is efficient. In short, it is the largest economy in Africa, even though not an oil-producing country.

In so many respects, Mandela showed the way not only for Africa but indeed the rest of the world. Unlike others who condemn everyone who comes to their community as settler, Mandela consciously tried to create a socially harmonious South African nation, conscious of the fact that we are all settlers in all societies, only that we came at different times. He did not vent his anger on those who jailed him or those who perpetrated segregation for decades. In fact, he appointed his white predecessor, F.W. de Klerk, as his deputy president. What an example in large- heartedness and magnanimity!

Unlike others, who not only wanted the constitutionally guaranteed two terms but indeed an eternity term, Mandela left the scene after only one term of five years, preferring to play the role of an elder statesman who guides the younger ones to the path of peace and progress. He carefully groomed his successors, and ensured a smooth transition from one administration to the next and from one generation to the next, to the extent that South Africa is an undisputed leading nation in Africa whose institutions are working and whose stability is so far assured.

Today, Nelson Mandela is a role model for many millions around the world. He is an iconic figure. His noble disposition, his humble mien and his simple manners have endeared him to all. For those who condemn Africa as a hopeless continent of corrupt, inept and insensitive leaders with poverty-stricken people and conflict-ridden societies, Mandela and his country are a welcome departure from this terrible image. Mandela is a pride and an inspiration to all of us. He is a living legend and a symbol of the dignity of the black race all over the world. We pray God to grant him many more years to continue his great service to humanity. Amen.