African leaders were willing to put everything on the line to face the unknown and activate change in Africa.
These men and women were pioneers in their own way.
Greatest African leaders of all time
Who are the greatest leaders of all time?
Greatest African leaders of all time and their achievements. Photo: Sven Simon, Gilles Bassignac, Jeff Overs (modified by author)Source: UGC
Here is the list of the top 15 African greatest leaders in no particular order.
All of these people created a powerful impact on the whole world.
He was the first president of Senegal, serving from 1960 to 1980.
Portrait of Leopold Senghor in Senegal. Photo: Laurent MaousSource: Getty Images
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki is aSouth African politicianwho served as the country’s president from 1999 to 2008.
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Muta Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist.
Maathai advocated for environmental conservation and sustainable development inKenyaand worldwide.
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Both achievements and controversies markedMugabe’s rule.
He is remembered as a hero and a symbol of Kenya’s struggle for independence and self-determination.
Nelson Mandela
Who is the greatest African leader of all time?
Former South African President Thabo Mbeki holds a press conference after meeting with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (not seen) in Khartoum, Sudan. Photo: Ebrahim HamidSource: Getty Images
SA LGBTQIA+ community protests Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill and wants the UN to intervene
9.
Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie, orRas Tafari Makonnen, was a member of the Solomonic Dynasty.
He was an Ethiopian ruler from 1916 to 1974 and the emperor from 1930 to 1974.
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Ethiopia became a charter member of the UN due to his views and visions.
Julius Nyerere
The first president of Tanzania wasJulius Nyerere, who ruled from 1961 to 1985.
Tanzania gained self-governance in 1961.
The Nobel Peace Price 2004 Wangari Maathai during the conference on biodiversity at the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization headquarters in Paris, France. Photo: Laurent ZabulonSource: Getty Images
He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo in 1960.
Patrice founded the Congolese National Movement, and he made use of Pan-African ideologies to gain independence.
Congo gained freedom from Belgium in 1961 due to Lumumba’s struggles.
Robert G. Mugabe addresses the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2004, in New York City. Photo: Spencer PlattSource: Getty Images
Kofi Annan
Kofi was a highly reveredGhanaian diplomat.
In 2006, Kofi and the UN were awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for their hard work.
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta was an activist who opposed the country’s colonial rule.
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He became the first president of Kenya.
Jomo played a major role in ensuring that Kenya gained independence in 1963.
She was the first great Africanfemale leaderand head of state.
Dedan Kimathi Waciuri, shown at his trial in the Nyeri forest, led an armed military struggle known as the Mau Mau uprising against the British colonial government in Kenya. Photo: Authenticated NewsSource: Getty Images
She has been praised for bringing steadiness back to Liberia after many years of civil war.
Africa is a vast and diverse continent with 54 countries that vary in terms of safety and security.
She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle.
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Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University.
She has more than five years in writing.
In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024.
Nelson Mandela outside his Soweto home three days after his release. Photo: Gideon MendelSource: Getty Images
Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
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Haile Selassie I (1892-1975), Emperor of Ethiopia, circa 1975. Photo: Fox PhotosSource: Getty Images
Ghanaian politician Kwame Nkrumah (1909 - 1972), circa 1955. Photo: KeystoneSource: Getty Images
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Julius Nyerere is pictured, on January 31, 1985, in Dar es Salam, Tanzania. Photo: AFPSource: Getty Images
Patrice Lumumba (1925 - 1961), at his hotel in Brussels, Belgium, where he is to attend a round-table conference on the future of the Congo, on 27th January 1960. Photo: KeystoneSource: Getty Images
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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan briefs journalists before his departure for Rome to attend the International Conference on Lebanon. Photo: Jemal CountessSource: Getty Images
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Captain Thomas Sankara, leader of Burkina Faso. Photo: William F. CampbellSource: Getty Images
Jomo Kenyatta waves his fly whisk as he leaves London Airport (later Heathrow) after attending the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in London, UK, 20th July 1964. Photo: Evening StandardSource: Getty Images
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Kenneth Kaunda pictured addressing a press conference at the Hilton hotel in London on 16th May 1978. Photo: Rolls PressSource: Getty Images
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf briefs journalists her capacity as a representative of The Elders at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA. Photo: Luiz RampelottoSource: Getty Images
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Photo: canva.com (modified by author)Source: UGC
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