Let's talk about Mahatma Gandhi

I am a member of "The Let's Talk About Series" community. I'll be sharing notes from one of the sessions we had this year. The session was on Mahatma Gandhi.

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(Tobi Afolabi speaking) An amazing man I must say. Over sixty years of exiting this planet, his name echoes like he still lives...

(Diligent Amaka speaking) Brief history of Mahatma Gandhi –
Mahatma (Mohandas) Karamchand Gandhi was born on the 2nd of October, 1869 to a Hindu Modh Baniya family in porbandar.
Gandhi moved to London, England in 1888 and enrolled at the Inner Temple, where he studied law and jurisprudence. He later had a successful law practice located in South Africa.

What was Gandhi's occupation?

By trade, Mahatma Gandhi was educated as a lawyer, but he is best known for his role in the Indian Independence movement and his tireless efforts to promote civil rights through his philosophy of nonviolent civil disobedience. Gandhi led national campaigns to advance causes he believed in, including anti-poverty campaigns and campaigns to expand the rights of women, and particularly to achieve self-rule for India.

(Tobi Afolabi speaking) Taking a closer look at the life of the Great Mahatma Gandhi, I have been able to learn a few things:
Many of us if not all, never knew the man, Mohandas Gandhi, popularly called Mahatma Gandhi while he was alive. But today a man who died in 1948 still lives on in the mind of billions of people.

This got me thinking, how is it possible that after several decades of exiting the world, it feels like he still lives. The lesson this taught me is the power of legacy.

People will never remember us because of what we did; rather, because of how we made them feel and how much we contribute to making them become better people.

Merriam-Webster defines legacy as "something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past"

Gandhi's legacy, his gift to India was an Independent Nation and a civil rights consciousness and fight for freedom across the world. He made people feel better and proud about their identity and urged them to strive for better living conditions

(Diligent Amaka speaking) Gandhi's life has taught me that the greatest value you can have is the one that affects you and your society at large.

(Tobi Afolabi speaking) This legacy got me thinking, what will my legacy be? What am I going to leave for this generation and the one's after. I've resolved to continue to contribute my quota in helping as many individuals as I can live a fulfilled life. I want people to look back and be glad I walked this path and I touched their lives.

(Diligent Amaka speaking) The greatest achievement of Mahatma Gandhi is his lifelong fight for India's independence, which finally happened on August 15, 1947. After India won its independence from British rule in 1947, Gandhi successfully fasted for 21 days, which encouraged the Muslims and Indians to end their war.

Gandhi's achievements in India weren't just about peace and independence. At one point, he led a 200-mile march that encouraged the people in India to gather salt. Prior to that, many people bought salt from the British, and Gandhi wanted to encourage independence from foreign products.

Please note that in extension he touched lives with every of his actions. He helped the poor and the needy, the widows, the less privileged and the defenseless, the whole of India and by extension the world.(At least we are all learning from him to be able to live a distinct and valuable lifestyle from the way he lived his. His life is a great push to greatness).

Rather than calling for a chaotic and violent end to oppression, Gandhi sought to lift his people, saying his life was his message, and inspiring followers to"... be the change [they] want to see in the world." His viewpoint was that when people change the way they think and feel, they change the actions they take, and in doing so change the world around them. While this method of activism requires time to affect true widespread change, the results are long-lasting. Gandhi's revolutionary perspective is embraced by many activists today.

(Another Person speaking) Mahatma Gandhi's lifetime is not just an inspiration to Indians alone but to everyone who understands what the tenets of leadership entails.

(Tobi Afolabi speaking) Nothing will ever begin, change, or improve until someone takes the lead.

Another amazing lesson I learnt from the life of Gandhi is his value for nonviolence.
Throughout his time leading the India National Congress, he staged and mobilized several protests against the British government. What was significant for me about these protests was Gandhi's resolve to be violence free.

This value has taught me that power of negotiations and communal efforts. You don't have to carry guns or spade to demonstrate your grieve. Mere public demonstration and dialogues can help us achieve unexpected results. This attitude helped him – Lead the peasantries of Kheda to win their request for relief from taxes when hit by flood and famine, using several non-violent techniques.

It wasn't obviously an easy task for him to embark on this protests with his people. There were times he was arrested and jailed, but a very fundamental lesson I have  learnt through him is the need to stay true to your values. It may appear like you are not getting results, but on the long run through dedication and hard work it will all pay off.

(Another Person speaking) Closely studying the life of this great man when he was alive, I noticed one thing about him, he never struggled for the position of a leader. He only saw the challenges his people faced and he was determined to see them overcome those challenges. He became the solution.

Before can identify with you as a leader, you must be a solution to their problems.

(Tobi Afolabi speaking) Indeed, we have to be willing to make mistakes. It affords us the opportunity of doing things better next time. It helps us become better people and better problem solvers. Shun what the world has to say. Make the mistake and become better for it.

(Diligent Amaka speaking) Another thing I learnt is that affecting change and making a difference in your world is not by age or size.

Gandhi was a small man with great achievements that shakes the world. Here are some of the numerous values that I was able to identify in the life that Gandhi lived.

1) Purpose – It can not be overemphasized that Gandhi was a man who was purpose driven. This is why nothing at all could stop him whenever he is set to achieve something.

2) Selfless – Gandhi was very selfless.

3)Diligent – Gandhi was diligent and hardworking.

4) Focus – He was very focused with creating change in his world.

5) Exemplary leader – He was a leader who led by example.

5) Integrity – Gandhi exuded integrity.

6)Honest – He was quite honest to himself, the Indians and that value the Indian government is still trying to keep till today.

7) Empathy – He was quite empathic as he cared for the poor, less privileged and the defenceless.

8) Committed – Ghandi was quite committed to seeing the situation of his dear country change and that he achieved.

9) Fearless – He was very fearless and nobody was able to stop him until he affected the desirable change in his country.

10) Excellence – The great man was a result-oriented person who was out to achieve a just cause for his people and didn't give up or change his mind till he got everything accomplished.

For me, my major take away from the session is to fearlessly and selflessly make impact in my world.
Gandhi says that "we should be the change we want to see in our world"

(Tobi Afolabi speaking) My major take away tonight is to ensure I live everyday in pursuit of contributing my quota in making the world a better place.

It is said that the world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who sit and do nothing.

Where do you belong?

(Another Person speaking) This Mahatma's saying always wows me whenever I hear it. In fact, it is an impetus for me to take the bold step. It is: "the best way to find yourself is to loose yourself in the service of others".
I realise that every selfless person live-on even after their deaths, examples; Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela... and every selfish persons die even while they are still living, example; we have enough of them in Nigeria.

My major take away tonight is that we should never let our past define who we are and who we want to be. At a point in his life, Ghandi could be considered a racist, but he became one of the greatest men that ever lived.

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Mahatma Ghandi