Friday, December 6, 2013

Top 10 Surprising Facts You Didn't Know About Nelson Mandela

Leave a Comment
Nelson Mandela was a man who accomplished extraordinary things, one of the greatest statesmen the world ever has ever seen, heavily loved and admired the world over, a man who was showered with awards and accolades. Yet in person, he was never really more than an ordinary man, just a shy fanboy meeting his favorite band. In this list, we have tried to pin down some of the least-known facts about Mandela buried in his biographies. Let's talk about ten of the surprising facts probably many of you didn't know about Nelson Mandela.



10. He Was A Communist


Well, very few people may know that Nelson was a communist. Let me clarify this. Firstly, The South African Communist Party of 50s and 60s stood in direct opposition to the system that was making life terrible for millions of black citizens. And there's a genuine reason why someone who was both black and poor might attracted to it. But, Mandela indeed was more interested in learning resistance techniques than turning South Africa into a Marxist ideal. But if we dig into evidences, Nelson once was an active member of The South African Communist Party. But to gain the support from America, he later hid this fact and he was even successful in that.  

9. He Hated His Public Image


Actually, Mandela really didn't like his Public Image and he just hated to practice false modesty in Politics too. Even when he was first elected as the President of South Africa, he quoted that he was not Messiah. In his own words, he was "just an ordinary man who had become leader because of extraordinary circumstances." Westerners picture him as a saint like figure though. The real hero of anti-apartheid struggle was not actually the saint as we want him to be. He was a human with mistakes, who wasn't angelic deity the world wanted him to be. But the reality is, yes he was a regular Joe but again, stood up for what he believed in and he changed the world.

8. Nelson Was On The US Terror Watch List Until 2008


Surprisingly though, Nelson Mandela wasn't removed from the US Terror Watch List until 2008, when he was 89. Because of their militant fight against apartheid, Mandela and other members of African National Congress were placed on that list. Former US president George W Bush had signed a bill removing Nelson Mandela and other South African Leaders from the US Terror Watch List. Before he was off this list, members of ANC were permitted travel to the United Nations headquarters in New York but were restricted to travel to the Washington DC or other parts of USA. He was removed off the list in the steps of US legislation towards removing the shame of dishonoring this great leader, a Nobel Prize Winner.

7. He Was A Womanizer


It's so hard to imagine that warm old man like our parents was ever a sexual being, a womanizer. But according to his biographers, Nelson was more than just a sexual being – he was the Casanova of 1940s South Africa. He was such an energetic, dashing and charismatic guy. It's been said that he managed to carry on dozens of affairs at any one time. However, Mandela always wanted the world to be aware of his failings.  

6. He Was A Poor Student


Very few people are aware of the fact that Mandela was a poor student. He was not a very good student and he left in 1948 without graduating. Nelson was even unable to complete a law degree at University of London. He was expelled from the University College of Fort Hare as he participated in a student protest. Notwithstanding, he later gained more than fifty honorary degrees from reputed international universities.  



5. A Master of Disguise



Another fact only few people know about Nelson Mandela is he was a master of disguise. He disguised himself as a chef, a garden boy, and a chauffeur in order to evade from the police. As he wrote in his autobiography The Long Walk to Freedom, he would wear the blue overalls of the fieldworker and often wore around. He had a car and he'd wear a cap of chauffeur with his overalls. He was then a creature of the night. He would keep to hid at the daytime and would emerge for his works during the nights.

4. His Inspiration Was a Poem


This may wonder anyone that what actually was the inspiration for such a great leader? But you will be astounded to know that his inspiration was nothing other than a poem. While locked up at Robben Island for decades, he would read 'Invictus' by Ernest Henley to his fellow prisoners. The favorite lines of Mandela from the poem "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul" would ever resonate in his mind. It was the most inspiring thing for Mandela. The poem is actually about never giving up, come what may.

3. He Was Friends With Gaddafi


Muammar Gaddafi, obviously one of the most unpleasant tyrants in the world ever had. Gaddafi had a friend in the international community that everyone welcomes. And he was no other than Nelson Mandela. To relate the point, let's dig out some context. While African National Congress was outlawed, Muammar Gaddafi was among the few people belligerent enough to support Mandela with supplying arms and money they needed. Mandela even visited Gaddafi in 1994 while it was technically illegal and supported his regime right until the end. It looks like lunacy to us, but Mandela once claimed that apartheid couldn't have terminated without the support of Libya.  

2. He Was A Committed 'Spice Girls' Fan


To your wonder, Nelson was fantastically a committed fan of 'Spice Girls,' say several sources. The Spice Girls were a barnstorming pop band of 1990s that stood up for feminism by being loud and obnoxious. In 1997, The Spice Girls were successful enough to meet Nelson. By that time, Nelson referred them his heroes. He also quoted that meeting The Spice Girls was one of the most emotional moments of his life as well. BBC reported that, Mandela was more overwhelmed meeting The Spice Girls than meeting Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and the UN Secretary General combined.

1. Founded ANC But Always Opposed Violence Towards Civilians


Most of us are well-known that the world once saw Nelson Mandela as a terrorist. Actually there would not have been a military wing of ANC without Mandela. Being a military wing, ANC later targeted civilians with few deadlier bomb blasts.
But even being a man behind ANC, Mandela constantly opposed the Military wing of ANC (MK) ever targeting any human beings let alone the non-military targets. ANC only stepped up to target military personnel after Mandela was jailed. Mandela was uninvolved and he actively disapproved every cruel campaigns of MK. While Nelson may have been responsible for founding ANC, he never was the part of any violent actions of that wing.

0 comments :

Post a Comment