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.

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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.

Great Athletes of Africa: Haile Gebrselassie

World-renowned long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie remains one of Africa’s greatest athletes, accomplishing many tremendous fetes throughout his career. With a pair of Olympic gold wins and four World Championships titles, the Ethiopian runner’s achievements continue to inspire athletes and sports fans across the globe. Tunde Folawiyo and other citizens of Africa may regard the outstanding talents of Haile Gebrselassie amongst the most notable in the history of African sports.

Born on 18 April of 1973, Haile was one amongst ten children in the Oromia Region’s city of Asella. As a young child, Haile was known to run more than ten kilometres each day to and from school. With this, he formed a distinct running posture which mimics holding school books. After much practice, Haile burst onto the international scene during 1992 upon winning the 5,000 and 10,000 metre races during the Junior World Championship in Seoul. He also earned the silver medal at the Cross Country Championship, further demonstrating his amazing speed and technique.

Haile accomplished outstanding success throughout his career, winning the esteemed Berlin Marathon a total of four times and the popular Dubai Marathon three times. Furthermore, he acquired four world indoor titles and was named 2001’s World Half Marathon Champion. During the Athens Olympics of 2004, the runner attempted to become history’s first man to acquire three Olympic 10,000 metre gold medals straight. Whilst he was unable to fulfill this endeavour, he finished in fifth place.

During his career, Haile triumphed over major competitions boasting distances from 1500 metres to marathons. These races included indoor and outdoor, cross country and later road running during the late portion of his thrilling career. Further demonstrating the vast scope of his talents, Haile broke 61 national records for Ethiopia, ranging from the 800 metre face to marathon length. He also set a total of 27 world-wide records and remains widely considered to be among the best distance runners throughout the history of the sport. During September of 2008, the runner’s triumph at Berlin Marathon was solidified by a world-wide record of 2:03:59, a time that broke his previously set record by a significant 27 seconds. The record remained for a period of three years, though it still remains a Masters Age world record as it was achieved past age 35. Widely regarded as one of the African continent’s most famous athletes, Haile remains a great source of inspiration for African citizens like Tunde Folawiyo and millions of other sports fans around the globe.

African Activists: Funmilayo Ransome Kuti

Through her work as a teacher, activist and political campaigner, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti forged a great impact upon the continent of Africa, inspiring millions with her leadership through adversity. She garnered much admiration for her bravery throughout her lifetime, becoming a well-known fixture amongst the political world of Africa. Tunde Folawiyo and other citizens of Africa may regard her contributions as some of the most significant in the history of the continent and throughout the world.

Born on 25 October during 1900 in Abeokuta Kuti attended a Abeokuta grammar school to acquire a proper secondary education before travelling to England to pursue further studies. Later, she made a return to Nigeria, becoming a teacher. Years later, she became a founder of two unions – for both teachers and students – in Nigeria, a true testament to her commitment to fair education. During 1965, Ransome-Kuti was bestowed a national honour, becoming a member in the famed Order of Nigeria. She was also the recipient of an honourary doctorate in law during 1968. These achievements further demonstrate her myriad contributions to the field of education, as well as her humanitarian efforts throughout her long career.

Ransome-Kuti's was renowned within Africa for her activist efforts, becoming well known as a leader in female rights throughout Nigeria. Early in her career, she proved a powerful force in advocating for Nigerian women’s rights to vote. She later led Egba’s women in a campaign to combat arbitrary taxation. This struggle brought upon an abdication of Oba Ademola, Egba’s high king during 1949.

Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to raising awareness about civil injustices plaguing women, Ransome-Kuti joined with Elizabeth Adekogbe to form a dynamic leadership of women's rights during the 1950’s. She also founded a thriving women’s organization in Abeokuta, boasting a membership of over twenty thousand women.

In addition to her outstanding work as a political and Ransome-Kuti was amongst the group of women elected for the House of Chiefs, where she served as the Yoruba people’s Oloye. She also served as a ranking member for Nigeria’s National Council. In addition to these, she was both President and treasurer of the Western Women’s Association and a leader of the Commoner People’s Party. Her contributions remain a great source of inspiration for activists of varied causes throughout the world. Tunde Folawiyo and others with a great appreciation for the cultural icons of Africa may regard Ransome-Kuti amongst the most beloved to ever live.