Joramu Nkumbi: Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere was a Bookworm
Joramu Nkumbi, Tanzanian leadership coach and author
Mmerikani’s Substack consists of sourced, edifying quotes in a dual-language format (Swahili & English). I am a Quaker, runner, and was formally trained in Swahili.
[Scroll down for the English]
KISWAHILI
“Nyota njema huonekana asubuhi. Tangu akiwa shule ya msingi, Nyerere aliona hata kucheza michezo “sports” ilikuwa ni kama kupoteza muda yeye akapendelea sana kujibanza bwenini na kujisomea mara alipopata mpenyo wa kufanya hivyo…Nyerere was a bookwork…msongo wa kusoma.
“Hii ni tabia ambayo Nyerere aliiendeleza mpaka tone la mwisho la uhai wake. Yeye alikuwa sehemu ya vitabu vilikuwa sehemu yake.”
- Joramu Nkumbi, kocha wa uongozi, mwandishi, na mzungumzajia wa hamasa wa Tanzania
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
“A star is visible in the morning. Since primary school, Nyerere viewed even playing sports as a waste of time and preferred to hunker down in the dormitories and read whenever he had the opportunity to do so. Nyerere was a bookworm.
“Nyerere continued this habit until the very end of his life. He was a part of books and books were a part of him.”
- Joramu Nkumbi, leadership coach, author, and motivational speaker from Tanzania
Chanzo (source): Nkumbi, Joramu. Ulumbi na Walumbi: Mchango wa Tanzania Barani Afrika. Dar es Salaam: JAMANA Publishers, Ltd., 2023, page 4.
Interesting. Didn't know this...