Who is he, Mr President? It’s that Nic Careem fellow with his autograph book!

Published: 8 April 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

WITH messages from Sir Paul McCartney, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Conservative election opponent David Cameron, it could rank as one of the world’s most sought-after autograph books.

Nic Careem, from Kentish Town, gave the New Journal an exclusive look at the book he has been compiling for 10 years in honour of former South African president Nelson Mandela.

It contains tributes from Britain’s most eminent politicians, musicians, artists, actors and businessmen.

A host of national newspaper editors have added their names and former poet laureate Andrew Motion included a poem dedicated to Mandela, 91, the anti-apartheid campaigner who spent 27 years in Robben Island jail.

Now, Mr Careem, whose work worldwide on the book included face-to-face meetings with President Obama, wants to see it published to raise money for homeless children and to have a copy shown to Mandela before being put in a museum.

The book is bound in a green House of Commons cover and was put in the Commons library for MPs to sign, with the consent of former speaker Betty Boothroyd.

Mr Careem said: “He is the man I respect more than any other – and I just wanted to do something to show how much everybody loves him. I started in 1999 and it went on from there. Nelson Mandela knows about the book, now we have to make sure he gets to see it.”

He made the most of meetings with celebrities at charity galas to get the huge collections of signatures. Television presenter June Sarpong and singer Joan Armatrading helped him gather big names. The book is now kept in a protective sheet to avoid damage.

“Nelson, you are such a great man,” wrote Sir Paul McCartney. “Thank you for your tireless energy helping all of us fight the enemies of democracy.”

President Obama said: “We are grateful for your capacity to open the hearts of oppressors as well as the oppressed.”

Mr Careem added: “With some of the names in the book, it would be worth a lot of money if I was to sell it. But I’d never do that. This is about celebrating Mandela. If we can get copies published, the money can go to charity.”