Why Mandela was Most Beloved

• His work in ending apartheid and inaugurating political democracy in South Africa which icluded, but was not limited to being Imprisoned for 27 years for opposing the racist institution of apartheid, Mandela later became the first black president of South Africa, where he brought about a peaceful transition from the white-dominated government to a multiracial democracy. Some feared that when Mandela got out of prison, he would create chaos and drive white people away, Smith said, but Mandela "wanted to have peace not more bloodshed." Smith said he can't think of anyone else who had the right qualities to make that very difficult transition. People held Mandela up as an ideal, — And he came out and lived up to that ideal.

• We've seen so many leaders in Africa come to power and become corrupted by the transition to power. Mandela rose above all that. He could have stayed and South Africans or even the world could have tirelessly kept on voting for him, but he served for only one term (1994-1999) and chose not to run for re-election.
•  By just being himself, people from all walks of life could identify with him. You can easily think and come up with the significant contributions he made to culture, art, music, fashion, sports.... He was and still is a celebrity to all celebrities in the world.  Despite all that, he still exuded his same old humility and thus could be easily described in the famous Apple slogan; 'insanely great'. Greatness is a two-faced coin: the reverse is humility.
  

• Physically, he did not exude a superhuman figure: He has been divorced, and missed seeing some of his children grow up. Despite his authority, Mandela had all the marks of a human being. Those who met Mandela physically called him "a very warm figure — somebody who listens very carefully to what you're saying." Mandela also had a sense of humor.

• Though his oldest surviving daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, who was born to Evelyn Mase, Nelson Mandela’s first wife at one time was quoted as 'not sure if he loved her', and 'had become at peace with her father but still struggled with feelings of anger and abandonment', she had this to say about him at the end of that interview: “He has something that people gravitate to, that they can hold to, that gives them hope,” she said, comparing him to Mother Teresa. “That’s what Nelson Mandela has done, is to give people a better hope that, `I can be somebody. Life today can be better than yesterday.’”

• According to John Carlin (2013), Mandela’s legacy, the imperishable lesson he holds for the ages, and the reason why he stands head and shoulders above every leader of his generation, or practically every leader there has ever been, is that he showed it is possible to be a great human being and a great politician at the same time; that showing respect to friends and enemies alike can get you a long, long way; and that nothing beats the combination—in Mandela’s case, the seamless convergence—of magnanimity and power.