
Muammar Gaddafi Libyan Guide and African leader. He famously said: “the greatest weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed”. Steve Biko South African activist tortured to death by the apartheid police. “If you can do it, it ain’t bragging,” he once said. He is handling the reforms at the UN in a calm and effi cient way.ġ1. Muhammad Ali The greatest boxer of all. His resistance against racism helped African-Americans to realise theirġ0. Kofi Annan UN secretary general. A Renaissance man.ĩ. Malcolm X African-American political leader. The representative of the young generation of His speech in 1968 “I have a dream” has become a classic.Ĩ. Thabo Mbeki President of South Africa. A martyr of the African cause.ħ. Martin Luther King African-American religious and political leader who changed the course of life for all African-Americans. A practical man, he could have united all blacks if he hadĦ. Patrice Lumumba A pan African hero and symbol of African nationalism. He was respected by his country, Africa and the rest of the world.ĥ. Marcus Garvey A visionary pan-African leader and thinker. A great leader who refused to allow the trappings of power to corrupt Fearless pan-Africanist of recent times who is fi ghting for the land whichĤ. Julius Nyerere Former president of Tanzania. His footprintsģ. Robert Mugabe President of Zimbabwe. He envisaged the African Union long before it became a reality. The most recognisable face in the world.Ģ. Kwame Nkrumah Former president of Ghana. Have people forgotten Africa’s history? Must this worry us, as a people?ġ. Nelson Mandela A living legend. Of recent heroes (mostly from the post-independence era).

Why did politicians dominate the poll? Do people tend to vote for men as only a few women were nominated? Or is there a paucity of women to vote for? Over 95% of the nominations were Overall, the results point out certain characteristics about Africans. The nominations in the other categories are equally fascinating. Mugabe’s high score is particularly interesting, given that in the last four years a high profile campaign in the media has painted him in bad light. Kwame Nkrumah, and Robert Mugabe in third place. The total shows Nelson Mandela as your No.1 Greatest African of all time, followed closely by

Since last December when we first announced the poll, we have had a very exciting time.

You have spoken and we publish here your choice. The aim was to come up with your Top 100 Greatest Africans of all time. New African asked you, the readers, to nominate your greatest Africans of all time – both Continental and Diasporan (or people of African descent) – in all walks of life.
