THOUSANDS OF BLANKETED BASUTOS CHEERED HEARTILY ON SUNDAY (2 OCTOBER) WHEN THE PARAMOUNT CHIEF WHO IS NOW KING OF AFRICA'S NEWEST NATION UNVEILED A BRONZE STATUE OVERLOOKING THE MOUNTAIN-GIRT CAPITAL CITY, MASERU. IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF CELEBRATIONS THAT SAW BASUTOLAND BECOME THE INDEPENDENT KINGDOM OF LESOTHO.

PARAMOUNT CHIEF MOSHOESHOE THE SECOND UNVEILED THE STATUE OF HIS DISTANT ANCESTOR - MOSHOESHOE 1, WHO FOUNDED THE BASUTO NATION IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY. HE ARRIVED FOR THE CEREMONY ON HORSEBACK IN TRADITIONAL DRESS WITH A 100-STRONG MOUNTED RETINUE GARBED IN BLACK AND RED BLANKETS AND CONE-SHAPED BASUTO HATS.

MOSHOESHOE, EDUCATED AT BRITAIN'S OXFORD UNIVERSITY, CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THE INDEPENDENCE TERMS GRANTED BY BRITAIN TO THE NATIONAL PARTY GOVERNMENT OF PREMIER LEABUA JONATHAN. HE DEMANDED SWEEPING EXECUTIVE POWERS FOR HIMSELF, BUT AGREED TO TAKE PART IN THE INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS WHILE CLAIMING THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE HIS CAMPAIGN.

AMONG THE REPRESENTATIVES OF 47 COUNTRIES AT THE UNVEILING WAS DR. HILDEGARDE MULLER, FOREIGN MINISTER OF SOUTH AFRICA, ON WHICH LESOTHO WILL BE LARGELY DEPENDENT. CHIEF JONATHAN DISAPPROVES OF APARTHEID.

IN A BRIEF SPEECH AT THE CEREMONY, MOSHOESHOE AVOIDED POLITICAL CONTROVERSY AND SET A TONE OF UNITY WHICH OBSERVERS EXPECTED TO BE FOLLOWED THROUGHOUT THE INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS.