By Sishuwa Sishuwa
Because of our close friendship, Andrew Sardanis many times asked me to speak at his funeral. I always gave the same response: that I would do so provided the need to do so was delayed as long as possible.
On 28 February 2021, 13 days before what would have been his 90
th birthday, Danae, his wife since 25 March 1962, informed me tearfully that ‘Andrew is gone’.
If my conviction that the relevance of death lies in its impact on those who live is correct, then we have much to learn from his long and eventful life. It represented, in my view, many things that a nation requires to succeed. These include our understanding of what being a ‘Zambian’ truly means, of the importance of public service, of the possibilities for home-grown African business, of investment in art, research and scholarship, and of family and friendship. These five general points and themes illuminate Sardanis’s life and the society in which he lived and helped to shape.
Because of our close friendship, Andrew Sardanis many times asked me to speak at his funeral. I always gave the same response: that I would do so provided the need to do so was delayed as long as possible.
On 28 February 2021, 13 days before what would have been his 90th birthday, Danae, his wife since 25 March 1962, informed me tearfully that ‘Andrew is gone’.
If my conviction that the relevance of death lies in its impact on those who live is correct, then we have much to learn from his long and eventful life. It represented, in my view, many things that a nation requires to succeed. These include our understanding of what being a ‘Zambian’ truly means, of the importance of public service, of the possibilities for home-grown African business, of investment in art, research and scholarship, and of family and friendship. These five general points and themes illuminate Sardanis’s life and the society in which he lived and helped to shape.