Mansa Musa - a Typical or Atypical Leader?

Robert Burnside

Hist. of Civil 114

8-8:50 MWF, LT

Dr. R.J. Simms

MANSA MUSA:

 A TYPICAL OR ATYPICAL LEADER?

        “… All the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances and one man in his life time plays many parts,” Although the preceding is a quote from William Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy- “As you like it”, there is some connectedness and significance when discussing the reign of Mansa Musa (1312-1337), the second ruler of the Kingdom of Mali. Mansu Musa was an atypical leader due to the “many parts” he played as the king of Mali. His achievements stand highly remembered as a leader till this day. Also in remembrance of greatness stands our very own honors college named after the city that was greatly impacted by Mansu Musa at the University of Southern A&M.

First, according to McKay et.al., the authors of A History of World Societies, Mansa Musa reorganized the political structure in Mali. Mansa Musa appointed royal family members as provenance governor’s. He did so to ensure the loyalty aspect behind the concept of family trust.  This was effective for Mansu Musa’s rule because there wasn’t any betrayal within his appointed officials therefore strengthening the political structure of Mali.    

‘Secondly, additional evidence regarding Mansa Musa’s leadership, as the ruler of the kingdom of Mali, has been un-covered by McKay et.al., in their world history text. In focusing on the impact and results of his stop-over trip to Egypt and Pilgrimage to Mecca, the authors stated that this was the first time the Mediterranean world learned first hand of Mali’s wealth and power. Mansu’s expedition to Mecca influenced the sudden change of international reputation because of all the gold he gave out of generosity to citizens of the Egyptian capital. The excessive amount of gold given by Mansu “ruined the value of money,” (McKay p.281) within Cairo.

Thirdly, many scholars consider Mansa Musa’s greatest accomplishment as the building of Timbuktu into a thriving and intellectual city. Before transformation Timbuktu was a campsite for desert nomads. Transforming Timbuktu into an internationally known trade center was not easy. Many scholars consider Mansu Musa’s greatest accomplishment as the building of Timbuktu into a thriving and intellectual city because in the fifth-tenth century Timbuktu developed into a great center for scholarship and learning. If it weren’t because of Mansu Musa's plans to rebuild the city, Timbuktu would have never been able to open the one-hundred fifty schools for men only that housed and attracted architect’s astronomers, poets, lawyers, mathematicians and theologians.

Fourth, On March 9, 2014 Southern University officially marks the 100th Anniversary of its locale on a “… high point (Scott’s Bluff) along the Mississippi River in a town called Scotland-later Scotlandville…” (John B. Cade). Thousands of persons have played and/are playing a role in its continued growth and development. For example, the Kingdom of Mali existed centuries ago; and, yet Mansa Musa’s recognition of the need and value of scientific and cultural achievements is impacting Southern University—in the 21st century. Dr. Diola Bagayoko, a native of the country of Mali, professor of physics and founder of the Academy named the academy after Timbuktu in the relevance that he wanted the school to expand grow and attract other scholars as done in the late Timbuktu governed by Mansu Musa. By Dr. Diola Bagayoko giving the school that name impacted the school itself by pushing the scholars within it to the thrive and excel so that the school may live up to it names title.