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.