Passion or Profession: independence leader

Period: 1922–1999

Son of a Zanaki tribe chief, Nyerere described himself as “a schoolmaster by choice and politician by accident.” After studying in Uganda and Scotland, he taught for a few years before being drawn to politics. In 1961 he peacefully led Tanzania to independence from the British. As the country’s first president, he set up a one-party system and instituted a program called “ujama,” which formed farming collectives. Though these collectives failed, Nyerere is remembered as the “Father of the nation.”