Dear Editor,
The world is mourning the passing of the legendary Muhammed Ali who is regarded as the greatest boxer of all time. His greatness however goes way beyond his extraordinary boxing prowess.
He had the courage of his convictions and a determination to stand up for what he believed in, regardless of the consequences, and these were the defining characteristics of his greatness.
In this regard, he stands tall among the great men of history, alongside the likes of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Cheddi Jagan, all of whom at one time or the other were considered ‘villains’ but lived long enough to win the hearts and minds of peoples across the political and ethnic divide, including those who were at one time highly critical of them.
This is the true mark of greatness ‒ an ability to make friends even of erstwhile enemies. It is said the true measure of greatness can be seen in the outpouring of sympathy at the time of death.
Muhammed Ali, like Nelson Mandela and Cheddi Jagan has made his contribution to humanity in his own distinctive way and as such his memory – and theirs ‒ will continue to live on long after he is physically gone.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
