Oprah Winfrey once said, Mentors are important and I don’t think anybody makes it in the world without some form of mentorship.
Basically, mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. The mentor may be older or younger than the person being mentored, but he or she must have a certain area of expertise.
Some of the world most popular yet strong willed people had mentors at some point In their lives. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
First on my list is Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah the father of Pan-Africa and the first president of the independent nation of Ghana. His thirst for education saw him study locally and internationally, then returning home to be a teacher and political activist. During his study in the United States, Nkrumah supported various Pan-African movements and made valuable connections with great pro-African activists of the time including the global icon, Martin Luther King Jr. who eventually became Nkrumah’s mentor.
Nkrumah maintained meaningful dialogue with King that greatly contributed to his pivotal role in the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.
Another example is Julius Malema who is currently the leader of Economic Freedom Fighters political party in South Africa. His political career started in South Africa’s revolutionary party the African National Congress headed by Nelson Mandela.
Malema attributes his growth in politics to mentorship by Nelson Mandela’s former wife, Winnie Mandela and is very vocal on Winnie’s impact of on young black revolutionists in South Africa.
In his opinion, Winnie stepped up and took over the struggle against apartheid when Nelson Mandela got jailed. He professes that Winnie took him and a group of young revolutionists under her wings, guided them and urged them to “take the fight to them.”
Are there other mentor-mentee relationships you can think of? Tell us in the comments.
Finally is this one mentorship relationship a lot of People did not really see coming. If you are a fan of comedy, you most likely know Dave Chappelle and laugh to tears at his jokes. Well, his mom, Dr. Yvonne, lived an extraordinary life. At only 21, with a vibrant flame and curiosity for African liberalisation, Seon was approached to be recruited as a student for Lumumba’s movement back in Congo.
Though initially hesitant about accepting the invitation, she was excited by the opportunity to meet Lumumba. The meeting with Lumumba changed her mind and she went on to become the secretary of the High Commission on the Grand Inga Dam Project.
Her memory of Lumumba is a “decisive leader” who “cared deeply about his people.”
In conclusion, I’d say that mentorship has proven to be very important in the lives of leaders and other individuals who strive for success in their endeavors.
Do you have a mentor?
By Rachel Bulley.
