As human beings, some of us have been giving a lot of thought to Nelson Mandela in the aftermath of his death in December 2013. The media was abuzz about him and some people were wondering which individual African or another person from a different race would fill his shoes. Which world leader would be the new Nelson Mandela.

Well, many of us have read a lot about Mandela and see him as a reluctant celebrity. When you read some of his quotes, you get this impression. He did not think what he did was amazing and he just wanted to spend time with his family; something very normal husband and fathers do.

“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do and have a fundamental concern for others. There is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is…