Biography Of Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla (“troublemaker”) Mandela was born to the Madiba clan on July 18, 1918, in the rural village Mvezo in South Africa’s Transkei region. His great-grandfather, Ngubengcuka, was the ruler of the Thembu people, although he was not eligible to inherit the throne. His father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, was a local chief and counselor to the monarch until 1926, when he was fired for corruption. Gadla was a polygamist – he had four wives, who bore four sons, and nine daughers. Nelson’s mother, Nosekeni, was his third wife and was a member of the Xhosa clan and the daughter of the Right Hand House. (CITE

In 1930, Nelson’s father died, and he became a ward of Jongintaba at the Great Place in Mqhekezweni at only 12 years of age. The tribal elders, instilled a strong sense of Xhosa nationalism in Mandela, and conveyed high expectations of leadership for him. (CITE PEACE PRIZE) The elders told stories of the precolonial past and painted a picture of an uncorrupt, peaceful, autonomous tribe. From their perspective, the white occupation was only a recent, seemingly temporary setback, not something that was permanent. During his time spent at the Great Place in Mqhekezweni, hearing the elders’ stories of bravery, Nelson began to dream of making his own contribution to the freedom of his people. (CITE PEACE PRIZE)

Despite his inherited feelings toward the white, Nelson was immersed into British culture and religion during late childhood and early adolescence because the king regent of the Tembu branch of the Xhosa adopted him after his father died, and sent him to the Methodist missionary schools. He attended primary school in Qunu, where it was tradition to give all the students “Christian” names, and he was given the name Nelson...

... middle of paper ...

...conciliation in a severely divided society, headed off potential insurgencies against the new government from the white right wing and Zulu nationalists, and was a leading voice of conscience in South Africa and conflict zones around the world. His incorruptibility and evident lack of personal interest in power, along with the range and graceful presentation of his political styles, from stern and fatherly to charmingly self-deprecating, made him the world’s most widely admired leader in the latter half of the twentieth century. (CITE PEACE) Nelson Mandela never wavered in his devotion to democracy, equality and learning. Despite terrible provocation, he never answered racism with racism. His life has been an inspiration to all who are oppressed and deprived; to all who are opposed to oppression and deprivation. He died at his home in Johannesburg on 5 December 2013.