By TEE NGUGI

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The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics was a feast for the eyes, ears and intellect. It featured many forms of human creativity; visual arts, dance, performance and song.

The ceremony also evoked memories of the joy and pain of past Olympics. It showed glimpses of a hopeful future for all humanity. The closing ceremony was a kaleidoscope of colours of flags, costumes and races. It was a marvel to see different national and cultural communities coming together to tell the story of our collective humanity.

The competition on the field showcased the magic of human endeavour. Those moments of joy and camaraderie, in and outside the magnificent Stade de France , gave us hope that we will one day overcome the loss and suffering caused by wars that arise from religious, ethnic, racial and ideological differences.

What practical lessons did we, from the rest of the world, learn from the Paris Olympics? We saw pinpoint organisational skills.

The games hosted over 10,000 athletes, all of whose schedules had to flow seamlessly. A single hitch had the potential to offset the whole programme. We saw just how integral to the success of the games efficient road and rail transportation were.

Read: NGUGI: Reject all types of manipulation by politicians

We saw how security teams stayed on top of ever-changing security concerns. We appreciated how organisers and volunteers, big and small, each played their roles in order to produce a seamless whole. We witnessed the spectacular result of meticulous planning, management and execution.

We saw proof that dedication, thoroughness, and a sense of national honour can overcome impossible challenges. We saw how citizens, despite political differences, came together to deliver on a huge promise and, in so doing, showcase the best of their country to the word. Importantly, we learned how delivering something bigger than ourselves, without considerations of material gain, brings personal and national pride, and commands respect from the rest of the world.

I hope our leaders in Africa took a break from their vain glorious pursuits to watch the games and see that a sense of personal prestige can be measured by something other than the size of a motorcade or the dollars in the bank. I hope they took time out from plotting and scheming against their own people to see how to inspire a national sense of purpose among their citizens.

I hope that, instead of planning which rooftops to place snipers to pick off unarmed youths demanding accountability from their government, they learned how to channel the talents and boundless optimism of youth towards attaining a national goal. I hope they took time out from ethnic manipulation to learn how they can bring out our best instincts, not the worst.

I hope they learned to see different cultures and religions as a strength to be harnessed , not a weakness to be exploited. I hope they realised that one can get invaluable satisfaction by accomplishing a feat that elicits respect for their country from the world.

Tee Ngugi is a Nairobi-based political commentator