The career of Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is widely considered to be one of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport. Originally known as Cassius Marcellus Clay Junior, he renamed himself in 1964 after becoming a member of an organisation called the Nation of Islam.

Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky on 17 January 1942. He was introduced to boxing at the age of 12, and won his first amateur match that same year. At the age of 14 he won the novices' division of the Golden Gloves light-heavyweight tournament, and at 17 he was crowned the winner of the national title for the light-heavyweight division of the Amateur Athletic Union tournament, as well as gaining the National Tournament of Champions Golden Gloves title. Throughout his amateur career, Ali lost just five matches, and won a hundred.



Ali turned professional in 1960, after stepping into the ring at the Olympics on 5 September to face Zbigniew Pietrzykowski. He emerged victorious from this match, beating his opponent 5-0, and subsequently took home the gold medal for the light-heavyweight division. He soon earned a reputation among the professional boxing community for his rather unusual fighting style; due to his astounding agility and speed, he often deliberately let his guard down, in order to taunt his opponents and encourage them to try and hit him.

Ali was at the top of his game throughout the 1960s, winning one bout after another, often by knocking out his opponents with a single punch. Three years after his success at the Olympics, he took on and defeated Henry Cooper, the British heavyweight champion, in a non-title fight. In 1964 he won a match against Sonny Liston, the world heavyweight champion. Prior to the fight, the press had favoured Liston to win; however, Ali's deft footwork and speed allowed him to punch his opponent in the face several times. By the sixth round, Liston - who by this point had several bruises on his face and a severe shoulder injury - announced his retirement from the match.

Ali's career was put on hold after the war erupted in Vietnam and he was drafted. He refused to acknowledge his draft notice, and as a result of this he was fined $10,000, and sentenced to five years in prison. The sentence was appealed, and eventually quashed; however his licence to fight was suspended, and he was stripped of the heavyweight boxing title he had earned in 1964.

On his return to the ring in 1970, Ali travelled to Atlanta to take on Jerry Quarry, who he subsequently knocked out. A year later, he participated in what many now describe as the 'fight of the century' against Joe Frazier. The two men fought each other for 15 rounds before Ali admitted defeat. He did, however, manage to beat Frazier in a rematch that took place three years later.

The year 1974 was an important one for Ali. In addition to taking on the aforementioned Frazier, he also won his second international heavyweight boxing title, in a match nicknamed 'Rumble in the Jungle'. Held in Zaire and arranged by Don King, the match saw Ali take on George Foreman, the reigning champion.

Much like in his 1964 battle against Sonny Liston, Ali was touted by the press as the underdog. But his critics were silenced after he managed to defeat Foreman, and was crowned world heavyweight champion. The following year, Ali faced Joe Frazier once again, in a match that the public called 'Thrilla in Manila'. The fight went on for 14 rounds, but Ali eventually succeeded in defeating his opponent.

Ali lost his heavyweight title in 1978 to a young boxer named Leon Spinks.
However, in a rematch which took place later that same year, he won it back, thus becoming the only boxer in the world to have been named as the heavyweight champion three times. Shortly after this, Walnut Street, located in Ali's birthplace of Louisville, was renamed as Muhammad Ali Boulevard 6 by the city’s Board of Aldermen.

As someone who enjoys learning about inspirational figures like Muhammad Ali, Tunde Folawiyo may recall that after losing the world heavyweight title in 1981 to Trevor Berbick, Ali announced that he would be retiring from the sport. Three years later, he revealed that he was suffering from Parkinson's disease. Since his retirement, Ali has dedicated much of his time to philanthropic work. He has been honoured many times over the years; for instance, in 1997 he was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, and in 1999 he was named by the BBC as the Sports Personality of the Century. More recently, in 2005, the not-for-profit Muhammad Ali Centre was opened; this centre focuses on themes relating to respect, social responsibility and peace. It also features a display of Ali's boxing memorabilia.

The above-mentioned Tunde Folawiyo is fascinated not only by the achievements of Muhammad Ali, but also by those of many other sporting and cultural icons. For more information about this businessman's interests, take a look at his About Me page.

Make sure to check back soon; the previous article is a Biography of Bob Marley.

A biography of Bob Marley

Bob Marley - born Robert Nesta Marley - was a reggae musician who hailed from Jamaica. A committed Rastafarian, he infused many of his songs with a distinctly spiritual air. Over the course of his career, he sold over 75 million singles and albums, thus becoming one of the best-selling artists in the world. He has been honoured posthumously on many occasions; in 1994, for example, he was admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and five years later, Time Magazine named his 1977 record ‘Exodus’ as the Album of the Century.

Marley was born on his grandfather's farm in St Ann's Parish on 6 February 1945, to Cedella Booker and Norval Sinclair Marley. He developed a love of music at an early age. He and one of his childhood companions, Neville O'Riley Livingston (affectionately known as 'Bunny'), devoted much of their free time to learning about music, and it was Bunny who encouraged Marley to take up the guitar. Their friendship grew stronger after Marley's mother and Livingston's father began a romantic relationship, which led to all four of them living in Kingston together.

In Kingston, Marley resided in an impoverished area called Trench Town. Struggling to make ends meet, he sought comfort in the town's music scene. During this period of his life, he discovered the songs of many great American performers, including The Drifters, Fats Domino, Elvis Presley and Ray Charles. Marley and Bunny also attended singing classes, and learned the basic principles of melody, harmony and rhythm. Their teacher introduced them to a young man named Peter Tosh, and in 1963 the trio decided to form a band called The Teenagers; this group would eventually change its name to The Wailers.

Their first single - which they produced with the help of the label Studio One - was entitled 'Simmer Down', and spoke directly to the youths living in Jamaica's ghettos. It sold approximately 80,000 copies. The group released a string of subsequent hits, including 'One Love', 'I'm Still Waiting', and 'Rude Boy'.

The Wailers developed a strong following in Jamaica; however, they found it difficult to support themselves financially and, in the mid-1960s, they drifted apart. Marley travelled to the United States to visit his mother; while there, in 1966, he met and married a woman named Rita Anderson. After spending eight months in the US, Marley and his new wife returned to Jamaica, and The Wailers reformed. At this stage in his life, Marley started to take an interest in spirituality, and found himself intrigued by the Rastafarian movement, which had begun in the 1930s in Jamaica.

The Wailers went on to set up a record label, called Wail n' Soul’m, in Trench Town. Although the band released a number of successful singles under this label, such as 'Mellow Mood' and 'Bend Down Low', a lack of financial support led to it being shut down in 1968.



At the turn of the next decade, politically-motivated violence, rationed food supplies and soaring unemployment rates were all prevalent issues in Jamaica; these concerns were close to Marley's heart, and he began to explore them frequently in the songs that he wrote. In 1970, two new members joined The Wailers; brothers Carlton and Aston Barrett, a drummer and bassist. The band's big break came just two years later, when they were signed to Chris Blackwell's famous label, Island Records.

This was the group's first ever opportunity to record a full album; the end result, which they named 'Catch A Fire', was an enormous success, and led to them spending an entire year touring. Throughout 1973 they performed in many venues around both the US and Britain, serving as the opening act for Sly & the Family Stone, as well as Bruce Springsteen. That same year, their second album was released. 'Burnin' featured the famous song 'I Shot The Sheriff', which was a huge hit and ended up reaching the number one spot in the American charts.

Marley’s wife Rita and two other female vocalists joined the band during the early 1970s, and the group was renamed Bob Marley and The Wailers. They toured frequently throughout this decade, and became particularly popular in Africa, Scandinavia and the UK. They enjoyed great success with several of their songs, including 'Satisfy My Soul', 'Waiting In Vain', 'Exodus' and 'No Woman No Cry', all of which reached the top 40 in the UK charts.

At the pinnacle of his career, Marley had a number of traumatic experiences. As a result of his outspoken ways, an attempt was made on his life in 1976. His health then went into decline in 1980; after collapsing during a jog, it was found that he had cancerous tumours in his liver, lungs and brain. The disease took his life just eight months after it was first discovered; he died on 11 May 1981 at the University of Miami Hospital (formerly known as Cedars of Lebanon Hospital). Ten days later, his funeral was held. At the service, Edward Seaga, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, delivered a eulogy in which he described the musician's voice as an “omnipresent cry”, and noted that Marley would be a part of his country's collective consciousness forever.

Like millions of others, the businessman Tunde Folawiyo enjoys listening to Marley's music (you can find out more about this entrepreneur's interests by visiting this page on SlideShare). As such, he is probably aware of the fact that Marley is still considered to be a cultural icon, despite having died more than three decades ago. His music has been recognised numerous times over the past 33 years; one of the most notable of these honours was a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, bestowed on Marley posthumously by the Recording Academy in 2001.

Why not check our latest post about the career of Muhammad Ali?

Nelson Mandela: A Dream of Equality

Nelson Mandela, who sadly passed away recently, has undoubtedly been one of the most influential and thought provoking world leaders of the 20^th and early 21rst centuries. After struggling for years to vanquish apartheid rule where white South Africans were treated as superior to black South Africans, he was imprisoned for life by the authorities, only to be released decades later as an icon for the South African people's struggle against unfair oppression. His legacy looms large, and continues to influence and inspire those seeking true equality throughout the world until this day, including Tunde Folawiyo, the director of the African Leadership Academy which aims to develop and nurture the youth leaders of the entire continent.

Born on 18^th of July, 1918, Rolihlahla Mandela originated in the small town of Mvezo in Transkei. It was in this village setting that he would first be exposed to the accounts of those who had struggled against oppression, inspiring him to seek somehow to better the lives of those around him by abolishing inequality forever from the borders of South Africa.

After being expelled from the University College of Fort Hare for being involved in a student protest, Mandela refused to be subjugated into following tradition and being forced into an arranged marriage by his elders. In 1941, he left any ideas behind of returning to his remote home and instead took up residence in the capital, Johannesburg. Following this, he was able to finally complete his degree and graduated from the University of South Africa in 1943.

By 1952, Mandela had become increasingly disillusioned with the status quo in South Africa and so became a prominent figure in the non-aggressive fight against oppression through his role as the Chief of the Defiance Campaign by Maulvi Cachlia. This initiative was put in place to use civil disobedience to persuade the government to repeal unfair racist policies. By 1963, he had grown in influence and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964 for his involvement in encouraging workers to strike against oppression.

Over the next two decades, he became an icon for those who wished to end the racist government system in South Africa, becoming a symbol for peace and tolerance around the world. Finally, after years of incarceration he was released from prison on the 11^th of February 1990. While his imprisonment was cruel, he never lost his belief in a free and tolerant society and reached this dream by becoming South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994.
Nelson Mandela's legacy has grown over the years and has influenced, not just the people of South Africa, but millions of individuals around the globe. More specifically, his positive, life-affirming message has been one which has profoundly affected later generations of Africans, from groups fighting for democracy throughout other regions, to world leaders and individuals like the founder of the African Leadership Academy, whose story can be explored in this Tunde Folawiyo biographical article. Nelson Mandela's actions and words have come to mean much to many, and will continue to inspire for generations to come.

A biography of the novelist Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison is an African-American professor and novelist, whose books have had an enormous impact on the world of literature. Those who are familiar with her work, such as Tunde Folawiyo, will probably know that her novels have led to her winning several prestigious awards over the years; in 1988 she won a Pulitzer, and five years later she received the Nobel Prize for Literature. More recently, in 2012, she was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Born in Ohio in 1931, Morrison was named Chloe Ardelia Wofford (she chose to change her first name to Toni when she was a student at university).  She was an avid reader, and was often found poring over the writings of novelists such as Flaubert, Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy. An intelligent and talented young woman, she graduated with honours from her local high school, and went on to complete her undergraduate degree at Howard University.

In 1955, she received her MA from Cornell, after which she accepted a job at Texas Southern University. She remained in this position for two years, and then decided to return to Howard, to work as a lecturer. In the mid-1960s, she also took up fiction editing. In 1970 her first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published; this work, with its poetic dialogue, complex characters and powerful theme, captured the attention of many, and was very well received by critics and readers alike. Morrison wrote this novel while teaching full-time at Howard, and raising her two young children.

In 1973 her second book, entitled Sula, was published; two years after its publication, it was nominated for the National Book Award. However, it was her third novel that established Morrison as one of the greatest writers of her time; Song of Solomon was selected for the Book of the Month Club, and also won the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) Prize.

Her next work, Beloved, was written during the 1980s. Despite becoming a critical success, it was not chosen as the winner for the NBCC Prize, or the National Book Award. However, literature fanatics like Tunde Folawiyo might recall that a number of well-known writers and critics protested against this decision, and in 1988 it won Morrison not only the American Book Award, but also the Pulitzer Prize.  Her most recent work, Paradise, was released in the late 1990s.

A look at the career of WEB Du Bois

WEB Du Bois was a writer, sociologist and historian who dedicated his life to the pursuit of equal rights for African Americans. As a history enthusiast, Tunde Folawiyo is no doubt familiar with this man's life. Born in 1868 in Massachusetts, Du Bois was raised in a community where racism was not as commonplace as it was elsewhere. However, as he grew up, he became more aware of the prevalence of this issue in other parts of the US.

He was a bright and talented young man, who demonstrated an aptitude for writing at a young age. During his high school years, he spent a considerable amount of time working as a correspondent for several New York publications. He then went on to complete his undergraduate degree at Fisk University, before moving on to Harvard; while studying there, he had the opportunity to collaborate with both Albert Bushnell Hard and William James.

Du Bois became the first African American to complete a PhD at Harvard; shortly after he graduated, he accepted a teaching position at Atlanta University. While he was there, he carried out in-depth studies of the social conditions of African Americans and, in 1900, created an exhibit which depicted the achievements of African Americans since the Emancipation Proclamation, with particular focus given to their accomplishments in the areas of journalism, literature and industrial work.

In 1903, he wrote what would become his most famous work, The Souls of Black Folk. Two years after this was published, he was named as the leader of the Niagara Movement. This led to Du Bois gaining international acclaim, as he became an outspoken opponent of the economic and political system that had exploited so many African Americans.

He protested against racial discrimination in employment and education, Jim Crow laws and lynching, and was a strong proponent of Pan-Africanism. He also spent much of his time working with various Pan-African congresses who wished to free the colonies around Africa from European authorities. In addition to this, he continued to work as a lecturer and public educator, and his teachings had a profound impact on the Civil Rights Movement.

DuBois died in 1963, the night before he was due to take part in a protest march in Washington. Those interested in history, like Tunde Folawiyo, may know that the Civil Rights Act, which was passed just one year after Du Bois' death, included many of the reforms that he himself had fought for during his lifetime.

Advocates for Africa: Ken Saro Wiwa

Ken Saro-Wiwa remains one of Africa’s most influential figures with his various contributions throughout the continent. As a writer, producer and activist, the impact he has forged upon African culture is undisputable, inspiring many with his advocacy efforts. His work has merited a number of awards, solidifying his role as one of the continents foremost environmental activists. His protest of

environmental damage caused by oil extraction and petroleum waste disposal in defense of the Ogoni community brought awareness to the extreme conditions effecting Ogoniland. Tunde Folawiyo and other citizens of Africa may regard Saro-Wiwa’s contributions to environmental protection as some of the most significant in the history of Africa.

Born in the Niger Delta city of Bori, Saro-Wiwa proved an excellent student during his early years of schooling, obtaining a scholarship for English study at a university in Ibadan. He was later briefly employed as a teaching assistant for a university in Lagos. In the coming years, he served as Civilian Administrator for Bonny, a port city in Niger Delta.

He began a series of successful businesses during the late part of the 1970s, focusing mainly on his creative works in the years following. One of his most famous works, a novel, told the tale of a village boy recruited into war, reflecting his own war time experiences.

His journalism and production work was halted upon his entrance to the country’s political scene. Years later, during 1990, his focus turned to social issues like human rights and environmental topics in Ogoniland and other areas. His reputation as a respected writer and producer drew great attention to the causes he supported, thrusting him further into the international spotlight.

During the early 1990’s, Saro-Wiwa served as Vice Chair for UNPO, an international democratic organisation whose members seek to nonviolently protect their rights and environments from conflict and environmental damage. The indigenous people represented by the organisation faced a variety of hardships affecting their quality of life.

An early member of MOSOP, a movement to ensure the Ogoni people’s survival, Saro-Wiwa was amongst the organisation’s foremost advocates. During January of 1993, MOSOP initiated a series of peaceful marches to bring awareness to the social issues playing Ogoniland. Two years later, his death sparked international outrage, drawing attention to the plight of the Ogoni people. His works are still famed throughout Africa nearly two decades after his passing. The impact he forged upon environmental protection efforts continues to be recognised by African citizens like Tunde Folawiyo and others throughout the world. For more information about others working for a brighter future for Africa, visit Tunde Folawiyo Slideshare.

Philip Emeagwali

The African continent has long been home to a great number of innovative thinkers, with famed artists, musicians and scholars among them. As a prize-winning scholar, Philip Emeagwali has contributed much to the field of science throughout his successful career, forging a great impact with his research, findings and initiatives. One of his most celebrated career accomplishments, the use of a supercomputer to aid in analyzing petroleum fields, has garnered him worldwide recognition. Tunde Folawiyo and others with a thirst for knowledge may regard Emeagwali as one of Nigeria’s foremost scholars.

Born the 23 of August of 1954, Emeagwali’s early education was halted due to war. At the age of 14, he began serving in Biafran’s army. Upon the end of the war, he embarked on rigorous self-study to acquire a high school equivalency that would see him travel to the U.S. for study. Attending under scholarship, Emeagwali earned a bachelor’s in mathematics from Oregon’s state university during 1977. He found work as a civil engineer in Wyoming during his time in the United States before later moving to Washington D.C. Here, he received a master’s in marine and ocean engineering as well as a second in mathematics from the popular University of Maryland. Whilst he studied to acquire a P.H.D. from the same university during the late 80’s, his thesis was rejected, prompting a court case that ultimately failed to reverse the university’s decision to withhold a degree. Though he was never awarded a doctorate, his work maintained its credibility.

Voted amongst Africa’s greatest scientists of all time by various publications, Emeagwali’s work has been recognised internationally, demonstrating the wide impact of his discoveries. Throughout his esteemed career, he was awarded several honours solidifying his place as one of the continent’s foremost scientific minds. His achievements were quoted in a speech by former United States president Bill Clinton, who referenced Emeagwali as an inspiration for Nigerians.

Awarded the Gordon Bell Prize of 1989, Emeagwali’s work continues to benefit the lucrative oil industry throughout Africa and beyond. Whilst some claims he made throughout his career garnered controversy, his contributions to his country through his scientific findings are not lost upon the millions who indirectly benefited from his work. Tunde Folawiyo and African citizens may regard Emeagwali’s achievements as some of the greatest in Africa’s recent memory. His legacy as an esteemed engineer, geologist and mathematician is one that will stand for many years to come. For more information about others working for a brighter future for Africa, visit Tunde Folawiyo Slideshare.

Nelson Mandela: Lesser Known Facts about a Great Man

Much has been written about the famous South African anti-apartheid activist and politician who was President of the African National Congress (ANC) and then president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. Even schoolchildren know that Nelson Mandela was a freedom fighter who spent 27 years in prison for conspiracy to overthrow the government. But, Nelson Mandela was more than his public persona, including being a father, grandfather and great-grandfather, with many lesser known facts coming to the surface after his death on December 5, 2014.

Many people don’t recognise Nelson Mandela’s given name, Rolihlahla, which in the tribe into which he was born means “pulling the branch of a tree” or sometimes interpreted as “troublemaker.” Without even realising it, his parents had given him a name that would personify the man he would become, creating trouble for the South African government and their policy of racial discrimination known as Apartheid. It wasn’t until his first day of elementary school, when his British teacher renamed him Nelson that he would receive the name he would carry for the rest of his life. 

Mandela’s life as a young boy, growing up in the village of Qunu, which had no paved roads and everyone lived in huts, is well-known, but few people realise that Mandela was baptized in the Methodist Church and on the event of his father’s death, was adopted at  the age of nine by the tribal chief.

As a young man he was proud and rebellious and excelled at long-distance running and boxing. After realising he would be called upon to fulfill an arranged marriage established by his adopted father, Mandela left for Johannesburg, where his life as a lawyer and political activist began.

During the darkest days of unrest and anti-apartheid activities, Nelson Mandela would become so notorious for his many disguises; the press would name him “the Black Pimpernel,” as he would remain out of sight during the day, coming out only at night to evade the police.

Nelson Mandela was a man who loved to garden, play soccer, and eat tripe. He drew his immense patience while in prison from the poem “Invictus” written by William Ernest Hadley. He was a public figure, but had a very private side and for his admirers, such as Nigerian businessman Tunde Folawiyo, the presence of Nelson Mandela will be missed. For those who would like additional material, information on Tunde Folawiyo and his interest in inspirational figures can be found on his Worky profile.

Muhammad Ali: The Olympic Story

Before embarking on a career unrivalled in the sport of boxing, Muhammad Ali achieved greatness by becoming an Olympic champion. This connection to the historic level of competition found in the Olympics, has continued throughout his life, acting as an inspirational story for athletes of all generations, of all nationalities, and of all sports.

In 1960 the Olympics was to be held in Rome, Italy. At that time Muhammad Ali was known by his original name of Cassius Clay. At just 18 years old, Ali had just become a high school graduate and yet was already renowned for honed athletic skills, and his engaging, charismatic personality. Despite this, the world was yet to be introduced to the greatest boxer who ever lived – the 1960 Olympics served as that introduction.

Ali was a relative unknown at that time in world boxing, even though he had 100 recorded victories as an amateur boxer, as well as being the heavyweight National Amateur Athletic Union champion for two years running from 1950 to 1960, not to mention securing two Golden Gloves in those years. Without much fanfare, it was therefore left to Ali to provide his own promotion and do what he became famous for - talking and boxing to equally eloquent levels.

He initially fought several rounds, starting with Yvon Becaus from Belgium, with the referee having to stop the fight in the second round. After this he went up against the intimidating Russian, Gennadiy Shatkov, a dedicated boxer who won the gold in 1956 for the middleweight category. Needless to say, many may have thought that Muhammad Ali would not have won this fight, but he did, and progressed to the semi-finals where he fought Tony Madigan from Australia. After being awarded another unanimous decision, he finally had to fight Zbigniew Pietrsykowski from Poland. The fight went the distance, with Muhammad Ali coming out on top and almost knocking Pietrsykowski clean out just before the final bell. Thus, Muhammad Ali won the gold medal for the light heavyweight category and began the greatest boxing career the world has ever seen.

Muhammad Ali's contributions to the Olympics continued for decades afterwards. Wanting to acknowledge his place as an Olympic icon, he was given the honour of being the final torch carrier at the Olympics in Atlanta, USA, in 1996. While he has had to struggle against the onset of Parkinson's Disease, Ali continues to be an inspiration to all aspiring Olympic athletes around the world, not to mention African businesspeople and leaders such as Tunde Folawiyo (for more information visit the Tunde Folawiyo Facebook page).

The achievements of the novelist Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe was a highly respected author from Nigeria, whom most people, including Tunde Folawiyo, have probably heard of. Although Achebe's novels are written mainly for those living in Africa, they have, over the decades, been translated into over forty languages.

Over the course of his lifetime, he published a large collection of essays, short stories, novels, poetry and children's books, and won many awards for his work, including the New Statesman-Jock Campbell Award for 'Arrow of God', and the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for the poetry volume, 'Christmas in Biafra'. In 2007, he received one of the world's most prestigious awards, the Man Booker Prize. In addition to these, Achebe was also the recipient of over twenty honorary doctorates.

Born in Ogidi in 1930, Achebe's family were members of the Igbo tribe. However, Achebe was raised as a Christian, although he always retained an interest in the more traditional faiths of his homeland. He was a talented and intelligent young man, and did well in his studies, graduating from the University College at Ibadan at the age of 24. He published his first book, entitled 'Things Fall Apart', four years later; based on the clash between the Western culture of the missionaries, and that of native Africans, the novel was enormously successful, and has since been included on many school's required reading lists.

During the sixties, Achebe wrote prolifically, publishing a total of three novels between 1960 and 1960. Named 'A Man of the People', 'Arrow of God' and 'No Longer at Ease', each of the books dealt with the issue of colonial perspectives coming into conflict with traditional ways of life in Africa.

Whilst he was known primarily for his writing, Achebe was also a teacher. For four years in the seventies, and one year in the eighties, Achebe served an English professor at the University of Massachusetts. In addition to this, he spent one year working at the University of Connecticut. His longest period of teaching took place at Bard College, located just outside of New York City. He lectured here for more than 15 years, before leaving to becoming a faculty member of Brown University. He passed away four years later, at the age of 82.

Folawiyo takes a keen interest in the accomplishments of influential figures like Achebe. However, this is just one of his many interests; to learn more about his areas of expertise, follow Tunde Folawiyo projects online.

The life of Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks was an African American woman, who was involved in the civil rights movement. Often referred to as 'the freedom movement's mother', she played a key role in the elimination of racial segregation in the USA.

Born in 1913, she married a man named Raymond Parks at the age of 19. Raymond had been a member of the NAACP for many years, and he who first inspired his wife to take a stand against racial injustices, by joining this organisation.

As a history fanatic, Tunde Folawiyo might be aware that in 1943, Parks became the chapter secretary in the NAACP's Montgomery branch. During her first few years there, she worked closely with a railroad porter named Edgar D. Nixon, the branch's president, who at that point was focusing on establishing voting rights for African Americans.

Most people, including Tunde Folawiyo, will probably know that the 1st of December 1955 was an enormously significant date in Parks' life. It was on this day that she committed an act of defiance which would forever cement her place in history books; she disobeyed the orders of a local bus driver, who had insisted that she give up her seat in the African-American section, for a white person, as the other section was full. Whilst her refusal led to her arrest, the incident ended up playing an important part in the civil rights movement, as it inspired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to establish the Montgomery Improvement Association.

This association launched a boycott of all transportation provided by the company that operated that particular bus. This boycott went on for 55 weeks, and garnered international attention. Only when the Supreme Court finally banned all forms of racial segregation on public transport, did the association end its protest.

Two years after the bus incident, Parks moved to Michigan with her husband; here, she became a member of staff for John Conyers, a US representative. After her retirement many years later, she continued to offer her support to a variety of civil-rights causes and events. She also wrote her autobiography, which she entitled 'Rosa Parks: My Story'. Over the course of her lifetime, she received many awards and honours, in recognition of her tireless efforts to eliminate racism; two of the most prestigious were the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she was given in 1996, and the Congressional Gold Medal, which she received in 1999.

Folawiyo enjoys learning about the accomplishments of inspiring figures like Parks. For further information on the world's most influential people, subscribe to Tunde Folawiyo YouTube channel.

Fighting and Philanthropy: Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali, the world-famous American boxer, is in the news this week after a pair of gloves he wore in the legendary 1971 row with Joe Frazier sold at auction for over £230,000. The rivalry between the two great boxers became legendary. Frazier won the 1971 battle and became the heavy-weight world champion, but the title was ultimately taken from him by Ali in a harrowing rematch in 1974. The auction took place in Cleveland, Ohio, where the same auction house once sold another set of Ali gloves for nearly £500,000.

Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942, Ali enjoyed a supportive, middle-class upbringing. He took up boxing at the age of twelve. By 1960, he had several state and national titles, and won the gold medal in the Light Heavyweight category at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Ali, still under the name Cassius Clay, fought Sonny Liston for the World Heavyweight Championship. It was in a pre-game interview for this fight that Ali said his now-famous line, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” After a surprising six rounds, Ali was declared the winner by technical knock-out, becoming, at the age of 22, the youngest boxer at the time to take the championship title away from another boxer. 

Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam. He lost his title in 1967 for refusing to serve in the Vietnam War, and in the years after, he travelled around the country, speaking out against the conflict. The 1971 fight against Frazier was Ali’s first chance to win back his title, which he ultimately did not do until 1974. Ali’s career continued until he retired for health-related reasons. His last fight was in 1981. Ali is considered by some to be one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Ali remained socially and politically active, as well. In 1991, he worked with the governments of the US and Iraq to negotiate hostage releases during the Gulf War, and in the early 2000s he worked with the United Nations to promote peace in Afghanistan, continuing in his early beliefs that war is essentially wrong. A cultural centre and non-profit bearing his name was recently opened in his home town. The Muhammad Ali Centre serves as a tribute to the boxer, but also works to promote his peaceful, unifying values. Many see Ali as a personal influence on their own life and work, including Tunde Folawiyo, a Nigerian businessman with interests ranging from philanthropy to African art. More information can be found on the Tunde Folawiyo African art blog.

Remembering Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela International Day, first declared by the UN and celebrated in 2009, was celebrate this year on Mandela's birthday, July 18 2014, for the first time since Mandela's death. The day is meant to honour Mandela and to remind people of his life and work, to encourage others to fight for peace, combat poverty and work for a better world for everyone. Today, all over the world, leaders and citizens are considering the life of the former president of South African, and considering how they can contribute in the wake of his death last December.

Nelson Mandela, the son of a chief and the grandson of a king, led a legendary life. He became the first black president of South African, elected in 1994, after serving 27 years in prison on a charge of conspiring to overthrow the government. As a student at the University of Witwatersran, where he was the only native black student enrolled, Mandela became acquainted with activists, and began working to oppose colonization. He attained a leadership position in the African National Congress and worked in campaigns to end apartheid, the government-enforced segregation of South Africa. In 1962, he was arrested for his anti-government activities, and tried for sabotage and conspiracy. After a guilty verdict, he was sentenced to life in prison. In prison, Mandela was kept in a small damp cell, and performed forced labour during the day. In 1990, Mandela was finally released. South African president F.W. De Klerk and Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, and the country's first election for people of all races was held the year after that.

Mandela's subsequent presidency saw the unification of the ACN and the Afrikaners in South Africa and the end of apartheid. Leaders in many fields throughout the world consider Mandela an influence, including Tunde Folawiyo. For more on the businessman’s life and interests, readers can find post from Tunde Folawiyo on YouTube. Mandela's legacy is one of courage, long-suffering, and ultimately peace. Even with threats to his life (he faced the possibility of the death penalty after his 1962 arrest), Mandela maintained his principles. After spending nearly three decades is prison, he emerged not seeking revenge, but peace, justice and equal treatment under the law for all of the citizens of South Africa. The largest lesson from Mandela's life may be to forgive your enemies, and it is advice we still need to hear today.

The fight that made Muhammed Ali

Muhammed Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr on 17th January 1942, was arguably America's, if not the world's, finest boxer, and a favourite amongst aficionados such as Tunde Folawiyo. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and raised by a supportive African-American middle-class family, unlike many of his fellow boxers of the time.

Clay's father painted billboards and signs. His mother, Odessa, was a household domestic. He and his brother, Rudolph, were brought up as Baptists. Clay was a descendent of slavery from the American South, predominantly of African-American descent, with English, Irish and Italian ancestors.

First directed towards boxing by Louisville police officer and boxing coach, Joe E. Martin, Clay was trained by boxing cutman, Chuck Bodak. Cassius Clay proved a formidable opponent, soon racking up the Light Heavyweight Gold Medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. By this point in time, he had a stellar amateur record of just five losses to 100 wins.

In 1964, Clay's match with Sonny Liston proved to be the fight of his life, and one of the most anticipated, watched, and controversial fights in boxing history. Liston was the World Heavyweight Champion, and an intimidating opponent. 22 year old Clay had virtually sealed the deal by the third round. Cut under the left eye (the first cut of his boxing career), Liston's legs were buckling: he was already on the ropes. The fight continued for five more unbearable rounds. Clay was pronounced heavyweight champion.

Shortly afterwards, Clay renounced both his faith and his birth name, announcing himself as a member of the Nation of Islam. By 6th March, he had taken the name of Muhammed ("worthy of praises") Ali ("most high").

Many of the press refused to refer to Muhammed Ali by his new name. In 1966, Ali refused to serve in the Vietnam war as a conscientious objector. In 1967, he was found guilty of refusal of induction into the armed forces. He was stripped of his belt, and banned from fighting for 3 1/2 years. His most impressive fight was in 1971, against George Foreman. The fight was dubbed as "The Rumble In The Jungle". Ali won.

Ali announced his retirement in 1979, but stepped back into the ring twice more - he officially retired in 1981. In 1984, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Despite his illness, he carried the Olympic torch in 1996 in Atlanta.
To boxing enthusiasts like Tunde Folawiyo, Muhammed Ali remains one of the greatest boxing legends of all time. For readers who wish to find additional information on Tunde Folawiyo please visit his online profile.

The career of Nobel laureate and civil rights activist Albert Lutuli

Albert Lutuli was a tribal chief, best known for having served as the president of the ANC (African National Congress). He devoted much of his career to campaigning for civil rights in South Africa; however, as a charitable and compassionate leader, he always favoured non-violent means of protest. He aimed to merge the philosophies of Christian democracy, and Zulu culture, in order to bring peace to the African continent.

Lutuli is thought to have been born in 1898, in the area formerly known as Southern Rhodesia. At the age of ten, his parents sent him to the Christian mission school in Natal. After completing his education here, he then went on to train as a teacher in Edendale. Following this, in 1920, he was awarded a scholarship, which allowed him to enrol in Adam's College, where he took the Higher Teachers' Training course. He ended up teaching at this institute for 15 years.

His career path changed in 1935, after he accepted an offer of chieftaincy in his homeland. For the next 17 years, he devoted his time to the management of tribal affairs, mediating arguments between his peers, and helping local cane farmers to protect their interests. History enthusiasts like Tunde Folawiyo may be aware that Lutuli first joined the ANC in 1944; this organisation was similar, in terms of its objectives, to the NAACP in the USA, in that it aimed to create legal frameworks which would establish and protect civil rights.

One year after joining, Lutuli became a member of the ANC's Natal Provincial Division, and in 1951, he was elected as this division's president. Shortly after this appointment, he helped the other leaders within the ANC to arrange a series of non-violent campaigns, with the goal of protesting against discriminatory laws. He then began to make a number of public speeches which received a considerable amount of attention from the media. The balanced and articulate way in which he expressed his views on racial inequality earned him the respect of millions of people - including those who did not share his own views on the subject.

Anyone with an interest in this subject, such as Tunde Folawiyo, will probably know that in 1960, Lutuli showed his solidarity with those who had been killed during the Sharpeville massacre whilst protesting against the Pass Laws, by burning his own pass in public. He was arrested for this act. That same year, his efforts in regards to race relations in South Africa led to him being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1962, he was named as the honourary Rector of Glasgow University, and the following year, he had his autobiography, entitled 'Let my people go' published. Four years later, he passed away.

Folawiyo is knowledgeable about many influential figures; those who would like to learn more about his areas of expertise can subscribe to Tunde Folawiyo YouTube channel.

An overview of Alice Walker's achievements

Alice Walker is an activist and author, who is most famed for having penned 'The Colour Purple', a novel which won her the Pulitzer Prize, and the National Book Award. Born in 1944, Walker grew up in Georgia. She did well academically, becoming the valedictorian of her high school graduation class, and going on to receive scholarships from both Sarah Lawrence College and Spelman College. Whilst her studies took up much of her time, Walker was also a passionate activist, and at the age of 18, she received an invitation to Martin Luther King Junior's home, in recognition of her participation in the Youth World Peace Festival.

Walker wrote her first collection of poems during her final year at Sarah Lawrence. She continued to compose poems and short-stories after graduating; however, it was her novels - of which there are now six in total - that brought her into the limelight. As a literature buff, Tunde Folawiyo might know that her books focus primarily on the lives of African Americans, and their experiences and relationships with people of other races.

Soon after her 26th birthday, Walker's first novel, which she entitled 'The Third Life of Grange Copeland' was published. Six years later, 'Meridian', her second novel, was released; this work explored the lives of activists working in the southern states of the USA during the civil rights movement, and was loosely based on the experiences Walker herself had several years before.

Book lovers such as Tunde Folawiyo may recall that her most famous novel, 'The Colour Purple' was published in 1982. This told the story of a young African American woman, who struggled to overcome the racial and patriarchal oppression which she endured throughout her life. The novel was enormously successful; in addition to earning Walker the above-mentioned awards, it was also adapted for film in 1985, and turned into a Broadway musical in 2005.

Although she is best known as an author, Walker has served as a university lecturer too, working at several institutes, including the University of California, Brandeis, Yale, the University of Massachusetts and Wellesley. She has also been a strong proponent of feminism throughout her life, and is now considered to be an important advocate for women's rights now only in the USA, but in countries all over the world.

As an entrepreneur, Folawiyo always enjoys learning about the lives of inspirational figures like Walker. Those who wish to obtain further information about this businessman and his work can follow Tunde Folawiyo projects online.