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Culture & Arts




















































           When you think about a typical    sense, because ‘mom never missed   of love, but every opportunity she
           strong African woman, you would   class.’                          had, she would push us to the limits.
           typically relate her to one who works   I have observed how the ideal   I think I soon realized that if I were
           her back off fetching firewood, or   business mogul is idolized from   to satisfy her wishes as her son, I
           perhaps cooking and cleaning the   head to toe but the neglect to   had to do some pretty extraordinary
           whole day. If you grew up with    recognize the role powerful, yet   things in my life.”
           the likes of my mother, one who   silent women mentors – ‘mothers’
           regardless of how old you were,   of greatness – have played in raising   This shows how, in the very
           would tell it to your butt in form   powerful men is one we need to   mentoring nature of his mother,
           of a good spanking or hold a press   reconcile.                    Richard, one of the worlds’ most
           conference with your cheeks in form                                powerful and recognized men
           of good old slaps. Really – O yes –   From Africa to the global leadership   today developed a brilliant sense of
           The ones that leave a good imprint   stage, conspiracy theory suggests   outdoing himself to meet the criteria
           just long enough to inform you that   that women have indirectly plotted   of a high standard mentor and
           you have to play to the rules of the   to take over as boardroom, and   coach.
           mentorship classes.               political leaders by raising the most
                                             powerful men. This is seen in the   Securing a pipeline of wealth and
           But that’s different. All that and   nature of what has motivated and   influence for their would-be men of
           more made it to the mentorship    kept some of the world’s most    affluence and influence is the role
           syllabus just so the right mannered,   powerful men going today and   strong women have played in raising
           cultured and value-based man is   only because of the impact and the   strong men. This is exemplified
           raised well enough to represent   support they had from the mothers   in the story of the world’s richest
           in boardrooms and society. I may   that raised them.               black man – Aliko, a young man in
           be wrong, but there are a few                                      his 20’s in the late 70’s borrowed
           billionaires and people of influence   Let us consider Richard Branson,   money from his mother’s brother
           who agree with that notion.       a global billionaire and founder of   to run his small startup which he
           The strongest men in business,    Virgin Group who had this to say   would later grow to what we know
           leadership or politics that we know   about his mother:            today as Dangote Group and with
           today all look ‘pretty’ right? I mean,                             US$10.8billion net worth to his
           they are pretty perfect in every   “She was incredibly supportive, lots   name. Now whether you agree or






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