TAMOCA Entertainment, LLC

Their was a small crowd of about 150 people who made it through the rain and waited in The Centre Banquet Facility on Douglas Boulevard in Douglasville, GA on March 10, 2010 to hear from a great icon and freedom fighter.

Queen Winnie Madikizela Mandela arrived about 1:00 PM and joined the luncheon that that was scheduled for 11:45 AM. Her entourage was coming from Alabama where she also had a speaking engagement. They were running behind schedule because they did not realize the one hour difference in time zones, according to Wes Tallon, who was trying to keep things organized until they arrived. The program quickly began after her arrival and she was accompanied on the dais with County Commissioner Kelly Robinson, Kings and Priests President Rev. Dr. Robert J. Watkins, and Civil Rights Freedom Fighter

C.T. Vivian, all of whom were vital in making her visit a reality.

Queen Mandela talked about the "342 years of struggle in South Africa against the most vicious and racist regime". She said that in the struggle against apartheid, obtaining "political freedom without economic freedom was just halfway up the road". She said that due to ignorance, promises were made to her people when they were encouraging them to vote. Madikizela Mandela said "we still have the same problems we had before the take over".

Those promises, which the Queen did not eleborate on, may have been promises from the United States and other countries given to Nelson Mandela to keep things cool and allow those focusing on the wealth of South Africa, to keep their eyes on the prize.

Nelson Mandela has been criticized by some for not taking a stronger stance in the rebuilding efforts of South Africa. Professor Marc Lamont Hill questioned his partnering with the De Beers Company, which deals in "conflict" diamonds also called "blood diamonds" and said that the "partnership with one of the most evil organizations in the history of the world will have a vicious effect on people throughout the globe".

Even as a watched him with enormous pride as he rolled through the streets of New York during the parade given in his honor, after his release from prison after serving about 28 years, I did not realize at that time, that even a man of his great stature, could be tricked. Madikizela Mandela on the other hand appears to be more connected to the grassroots people and has also kept her warrior spirit and therefore seemingly not so easily tricked.

She closed her short talk saying she would like to come back when she had more time then provided an arousing chant of "AMANDLA" (which means Power to Black People). She took a few photographs with some of the people in attendance and scurried out the door. On her way to the airport, she took a trip to the Lenox Mall in Atlanta, stopping in Macy's and a few other shops.

For me, it was just great to see the Queen once again. I was in New Jersey in 1999 when she visited the states and was hosted by Fredrica Bey and the WISOMMM organization. Some so-called authorities attempted to send her back immediately in another plane but Congressman Donald Payne and others stepped in and she was not forced to go back. I recorded that program back then and was honored to personally hand the DVD to her, some ten years later. I also gave her a copy of my book entitled "I Met an Angel" and suggested that she read it during her flight home. There was so much I wanted to ask her but due to time and circumstance, it would have to wait. I may see South Africa sooner than I had thought. Long live the Queen!

A. Omar Muhammad is a Freelance Writer

His email is atlantamedia@comcast.net